Committee unanimously recommends killing Gunstock bill

CONCORD — A bill to give the Belknap County Delegation control over Gunstock’s budget was dealt a significant setback when a House committee unanimously recommended the bill be killed.

The House Municipal and County Governments Committee voted 19-0 declaring the bill “inexpedient to legislate.”

In brief comments before taking the vote at the committee’s meeting Tuesday, two members of the panel noted the widespread, grassroots opposition to the bill which would give the delegation the same control over Gunstock’s operating budget as it has over the budgets for county departments, such as the County Nursing Home, and Sheriff’s Department.

State Rep. Susan Treleaven, D-Stafford, said the committee had received 1,200 online notices from people urging the bill be defeated.

Fellow committee member, Rep. Latha Mangipudi, D-Nashua, said that in addition to the communications to the committee, 3,500 people had signed an online position stating their opposition to the bill,

“These are from Belknap County residents,” she said.

State Rep. Norm Silber, the bill’s prime sponsor, said he was not surprised by the committee’s vote.

“There was an orchestrated and well-financed campaign by the bill’s opponents, and that probably influenced the committee’s vote,” said Silber, a Gilford resident.

Brian Gallagher, who until recently was chair of the Gunstock Area Commission which oversees the operation of the county-owned recreation facility, was delighted with the committee’s decision.

“There is no room for this kind of law,” said Gallagher who attended the committee meeting. “I am glad the committee did the right thing.”

Because the committee’s recommendation was unanimous, Gallagher, a former state representative, said the bill will be placed on a consent calendar, and so the bill might be killed by the full House without discussion unless a representative asks to have it taken off the consent calendar and dealt with separately.

Silber said the bill “might be reintroduced at the next opportunity,” including possibly being brought up before the full House this session.

Silber and bill co-sponsor Rep. Ray Howard, R-Alton, told the committee at the bill’s hearing earlier this month that the intent of the bill was to make Gunstock accountable to county taxpayers. But Gunstock officials said it would hobble its ability to operate the facility efficiently and make expeditious decisions to deal with unanticipated problems.