GOP reps rap Maglaras on 'sleight of hand' tactics to build county warming center

From left, State rep Tom Kaczynski, Strafford Commission Chair George Maglaras and state rep Len Turcotte (Courtesy photos

Editor's note: A Special Meeting held on Tuesday included a motion to approve $1.3 million to fund Rochester's share of the construction costs of the proposed countywide warming center. The amount was incorrect in an earlier version of this story

ROCHESTER - Two Republican state reps say that Strafford County Commissioner Chair George Maglaras circumvented the county delegation and went directly to Strafford County's three cities to fund a proposed $3.5 million dollar countywide warming center, because the delegation wouldn't have OK'd bonding, which requires a two-thirds vote for approval.

Len Turcotte, R-Barrington, told The Rochester Voice on Monday that Maglaras said outright at an October meeting that he was going to the cities of Rochester, Dover and Somersworth, because they would be more amenable to using city money in the funding of the project.

"This was dumped on us at the Oct. 16 Strafford Delegation meeting," Turcotte said. "I said to myself deja vu, just like the nursing home. This is not the way it should be done at the delegation level."

Turcotte said going through just the three cities was "not the proper way to fund a countywide facility, especially since now the entire county, including its 10 towns, will share in the operational cost."

Currently Dover, Somersworth and Rochester provide funding for the Willand Warming Center, which is expected to close next year.

Maglaras said the three cities are now expected to move forward with a countywide warming shelter that will be built on the site of the former animal shelter adjacent to the county jail in Dover. Dover has already approved its $1.3 million share of the funding. Rochester will vote on theirs tonight.

Maglaras said he had no choice but to go this route.

"Because the county delegation would not support the new nursing home by failing to get a two-thirds vote required by law - blocked by all Republicans - the mayors and city managers worked with the county commissioners to help them at their request to take a regional approach to dealing with homelessness by constructing a facility."

The Democrat-controlled county delegation voted along party lines 20-10 to OK the construction of the warming center at the Oct. 16 meeting.

The motion read in part, "to resolve that Strafford County will provide county land tor a warming center paid and constructed by the cities of Dover, Rochester and Somersworth."

Turcotte called Maglaras' strategy "sleight of hand" and "deceptive" adding that town governments were kept in the dark.

"The town manager in Barrington said he had no knowledge of what was going on with the warming shelter," he noted.

With the entire county now paying the total operational cost, in fact, the three cities will likely pay less.

Strafford County District 5 state rep Tom Kaczynski, R-Rochester, also said the move by Maglaras was an end run around the Strafford Delegation because of the bonding issue.

He said tonight's public hearing is nothing more than a facade of the democratic process.

"The fix is in, it's just window dressing," he fumed regarding the public hearing.

Kaczynski believes it's just a matter of time before the new warming shelter will be a full-time homeless shelter.

"They want assisted living down at the County Farm, too" he said.

Regarding the future operational expenses, Maglaras said part of the agreement is to include the towns in the operation costs in 2027.

He added that even if the towns refuse to fund their share in the future, Rochester, Somersworth and Dover can do so on their own.

The public hearing begins at 6 p.m. in City Council chambers at City Hall on Wakefield Street.

A special meeting a short time later will include a motion for Rochester City Councilors to approve $1.3 million to fund their share of the construction costs of the proposed countywide warming center.