Delegates to appoint Gunstock commissioner at Tuesday meeting

While an advocacy group is arguing that a petition signed by a candidate for Gunstock Area Commission should disqualify him, some county delegates disagree.

The County Delegation will meet tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 22, and is expected to select a candidate to fill a vacancy on the Gunstock Area Commission, and to discuss the county’s budget.

At issue is a petition, delivered to the New Hampshire Department of State on Dec. 24, 2020, which criticized Gov. Chris Sununu and other state leaders of “Crimes against the People.” The document, title, “Public Notice – Termination of office and termination of the ‘state,’” closes with a paragraph that describes the signatories as those who “are Absolved from all allegiance to the statutory ‘state’ of New Hampshire and the ‘state’ is and ought to be totally dissolved; and to do all the other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.”

The list of signatures includes that of Dr. David Strang, a physician, Gilmanton resident, and treasurer of the Belknap County Republican Committee. He is one of three skiers who has filed candidacy to fill a vacancy on the Gunstock Area Commission, a board appointed by Belknap County Delegation — which includes all state representatives from the county — to administer the county-owned recreation area.

Also included on the petition are the signatures of Rep. Mike Sylvia of Belmont, chair of the Belknap Delegation, and his vice-chair, Rep. Ray Howard.

Newspaper advertisements taken out by the advocacy group Citizens for Gunstock make the argument that anyone who signs such a document cannot also take the oath of office of a Gunstock commissioner, who must pledge that they would “bear faith and allegiance to the United States, the State of New Hampshire and support the Constitution thereof.”

Yet not all who will decide tonight are moved by the argument. Rep. Mike Bordes, of Laconia, said he’s letting the public guide his decision.

“It’s up to my constituent base to let me know how they feel on that, and I would act accordingly,” Bordes said. That’s how he approaches many of the questions he faces as a state representative, he added. “A lot of my decisions are based on public input.”

Rep. Norm Silber, of Gilford, said there were “nuances” in the petition that could allow one to both take the oath of office and sign the document critical of the state.

“I feel there are some very critical nuances with what (Strang) signed,” Silber said. He particularly contested claims that the document called for secession, which he called a misinterpretation. “I don’t think that was the intent of the petition. I don’t think Dr. Strang believes in that.”

On Monday, Silber said he hadn’t landed on a favorite for the GAC appointment. “We have their resumes, there will be a discussion of the Delegation tomorrow night, and there will be a vote... I am willing to be open-minded and listen to their views.”

Silber, who has sponsored legislation that would give the Delegation budgetary control over the GAC, said he wants Gunstock to be managed with more transparency and oversight from the Delegation. Despite two successful, consecutive ski seasons under current management, Silber said he didn’t feel the ski area is being well run.

“I don’t think they’ve done a great job,” Silber said. “Gunstock has had a very good season this past year, because of two reasons, neither of which had anything to do with management.” Those reasons were the pandemic and favorable winters, he said. “All that it takes is for one or two bad winters to come, and Gunstock will be back to ask for more money.”

Bordes took a different view about the ski area’s management, currently led by Tom Day as general manager. He said he would look for a GAC candidate who could keep its current momentum going.

“Gunstock has been run fantastically, they’ve had some of their best years. Tom Day is doing a fantastic job, I just want to make sure we’re going in the right direction, so we keep on moving forward in a positive direction so the revenue increases every year, and in the best interests of Gunstock and Belknap County,” Bordes said.

Bordes and Silber agreed on another topic — they each said that they, personally, would never have signed such a petition. Their colleague on the Delegation, Howard, of Alton, did sign the document.

“This is involving our state sovereignty,” Howard said. He saw the petition as a counter measure to what he perceives to be the relinquishing of state rights in exchange for federal dollars. “All this federal money is coming in and is signing over the people without their consent. It’s crap, and I, for one, am tired of it.”

Howard said he has boiled down the three candidates to his two favorites. In addition to Strang, other candidates include Heidi Preuss, former Olympic skier and businessperson, and Doug Lambert, owner and president of a local manufacturing company. “I haven’t made up my mind yet. I’m hoping I don’t come down to a coin flip to decide on them.”

Gunstock appears to be “doing a pretty good job,” said Howard. “I don’t have any problem with the management, the personnel,” though he said he would like more “open and honest” operations. “I’m a little leery of what I see as the secrecy.”

The conflict between the county’s delegation and its recreation area has been embroiled for months now, and Bordes said he has had enough. “It’s an ugly situation. Everything going on with Gunstock is not where I want to be,” Bordes said. “This whole thing has been driving me nuts.”