Greg Burke: You don’t know what you got till it’s gone

To The Daily Sun,

I grew up skiing Gunstock ('66-'78). Taught skiing for Egon Zimmerman Ski School. Studied commercial recreation management at University of Colorado Boulder. Worked at Sugarbush, Smugglers’ Notch and Waterville Valley (director of marketing). Enjoyed a highly successful hospitality marketing consultant career. My wife is a ski travel writer and I am her photographer. We have skied over 250 ski areas around the country. I am a Libertarian who does not believe in big government. Thirty years ago, I might have said Gunstock should go private. Not anymore. You have one of the best senior management teams in the industry. What they have done in the last couple of decades needs be applauded and respected. And when I saw the new master plan... well it would be a childhood dream come true.

Have you not been reading about all of the changes that come with the consolidation of the ski industry? The ski communities across the country up in arms due to problems with staffing and reduction of services?

I personally had the privilege of working with Tom Day at Waterville Valley. You will not find a more professional stand-up individual than Tom. For him to resign you must know something is fundamentally wrong.

I have been reading with horror what Peter Ness and David Strang have been doing. They appear to have no idea what they are talking about. And for Tom and his team to resign like they did confirms my suspicions. Now is the time for all of you residents to act before it is too late. Get involved and get rid of these two toxic commissioners yesterday. Save Gunstock as the community gem that it is. Because sometimes, “you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”

Greg Burke

St Augustine, Florida