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(The Executive Council: a topic worthy of discussion. - promoted by Dean)
Recently, there have been quite a few stories coming out about potential changes in commissioners or department heads now that the Democrats have taken over the Executive Council. In other states, with a change in control of the Executive Branch of State Government it is natural to assume there will be a change in these statewide offices.
In New Hampshire, it seems that this idea isn't universally accepted:
With a new Democratic majority on the Executive Council, Gov. John Lynch will likely have greater freedom to select commissioners and department heads. Although speculation has centered on the future of Transportation Commissioner Carol Murray and Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen, Lynch must first decide if he wants to grant another term to the longest-serving commissioner in the state - Safety Commissioner Dick Flynn. (?)
Late last month, Lynch called Murray to his office to discuss her future, the transportation commissioner said, though her term doesn't expire until next December. And the State House corridors have been rife with talk about what's ahead for Stephen, who has clashed with Lynch repeatedly from his post at the Department of Health and Human Services. Stephen, Flynn's former deputy commissioner at the Department of Safety, said Lynch has not asked him to leave before his term expires in October.(?)
Flynn has been a delegate to multiple Republican National Conventions. But the party designation of the nominee or the executive councilors matters little when it comes time to vote, said Burton, who was recently elected to a 15th term from the North Country. "They may be all Republicans, they may be all Democrats," he said. "It's amazing how independent-minded the council is over the long haul."
Granted, the business of running the state government agencies should be a relatively nonpartisan affair. But isn't it remarkable that a Republican Executive Council has produced a group of agency heads that are mostly Republicans? Why, then should it be remarkable if Governor John Lynch and the Democratic executive council should reverse the trend?
With the way the issue is being framed in the Concord Monitor, one would think that by appointing Democrats John Lynch is being irrationally partisan. Why was the Republican Executive Council not being held to the same standard?
John Lynch, with the Democratic Executive Council, now has the support he needs to make changes as he sees fit in the agency heads. He may renew some longtime appointees, he may replace some with Democrats. One thing is for certain, however: John Lynch will not be bullied by the Republicans to keep appointees that he doesn't think are doing their job.
