Projects stalled as governor, executive council clash over information shared on contracts

Executive councilors hold up millions of dollars in contracts to protest Ayotte

Councilors on Wednesday accused Gov. Ayotte’s departments of withholding documents from the contract packets. In protest, Republicans voted to table a wide range of contracts, seeking to disrupt Ayotte administration priorities until agencies agree to provide the information.

Executive councilors hold up millions of dollars in contracts to protest governor

Executive Councilor Dave Wheeler, a Milford Republican, speaks to reporters after a Council meeting, Oct. 15, 2025. (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin)At any given meeting, the New Hampshire Executive Council can face 100 separate state contracts to approve or deny. And those contracts can be accompanied by 10 or 20 pages of materials. It’s a staggering amount of paperwork that can amount to 1.3 million printed pages per year. And thi…

Projects stalled as governor, executive council clash over information shared on contracts

A standoff is emerging between Gov. Kelly Ayotte and the New Hampshire Executive Council that is putting millions of dollars of projects and contracts on hold.

Council Tables 21 Contracts Citing Lack of Info; Reacts To Berlin Murder-Suicide Report

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org CONCORD – The majority of the state’s Executive Council tabled a record 21 contracts brought by Gov. Kelly Ayotte Wednesday, including ones to fund a child advocacy center and another to repair an important bridge in Charlestown, which is down to one lane. Led by Republican Executive Councilor David Wheeler of Milford, fellow Republican councilors Joe Kenney of Wakefield and John Stephen of Manchester voted as a blo…