Delegation’s legal bill still unavailable to public

LACONIA — Three days after the Belknap County Delegation made a unanimous decision to release an unredacted version of an unexpectedly large invoice, the county administrative office and individuals who have asked for a copy of the bill are still waiting to see it.

The $36,000 invoice, for legal services associated with fighting a lawsuit from the Gunstock Area Commission, came as a surprise to the delegation, which already had spent $6,500 in its defense and had authorized only $20,000 for legal expenses in the lawsuit. Some of the representatives also were upset that some of the items listed on the bill were redacted.

At the delegation’s April 12 meeting, Rep. Norm Silber provided an un-redacted version of the invoice that came with a note from their attorney at Cleveland, Waters & Bass asking that the representatives maintain confidentiality about the details.

“Counsel has advised that a blanket waiver of privilege would be inappropriate and not in the best interests of the Convention,” Silber said.

Rep. Timothy Lang argued that, with the GAC lawsuit having been withdrawn, there no longer exists a reason to keep the information private.

After agreeing to keep it confidential until they had a chance to review the invoice, the delegation later agreed that it should be available to the public, since the taxpayers are responsible for paying the bill.

The Gunstock Area Commission had sued the delegation last November in response to the delegation's intention to remove three commissioners — Brian Gallagher, Gary Kiedaisch, and Rusty McLear. The delegation’s attempt to have the suit dismissed was deferred in late January after Gallagher resigned. The delegation named Dr. David Strang to replace Gallagher.

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On March 1, the Gunstock commissioners voted to withdraw their suit.

Belknap County Administrator Debra Shackett said Friday morning that she still had not received an un-redacted invoice for the delegation’s legal charges, despite several requests for a copy.

The Gunstock Area Commission has not released information on its legal costs in the lawsuit.

On Friday afternoon, Silber agreed to send copies of the un-redacted invoices to The Laconia Daily Sun on Monday.

“I believe the narratives explaining the charges are self-explanatory,” he said, “and it would not be productive for me or anyone else involved to engage in any type of back and forth regarding questions about the bills.”

He noted that he has “formally asked for copies of the bills for legal services rendered to the GAC over the past two years (paid for with money belonging to the taxpayers of Belknap County) — the charges associated with what we believe to have been the frivolous suit against the Convention totaled over $100,000, and I believe when those bills become public there will be substantial questions about many of the charges contained therein.”