Neil Lovett: Community should work together for the sake of Gunstock

To The Daily Sun,

The Tuesday, Nov. 16, Belknap County Delegation meeting was a standing room only event. Concerned citizens showed up to show their support for Gunstock, our local ski and recreation area. The meeting began with a diatribe by Delegation Chair Michael Sylvia on the ignorance and arrogance of those who oppose his views. The over 2,000 people who signed the Belknap County Residents for Gunstock petition were essentially called ignorant, arrogant, uninformed while essentially mind-controlled by the media (especially by The Laconia Sun). Mr. Sylvia gave credit to Gunstock's financially positive 2021 winter to everything, including COVID-19, but excluded the talents of the Gunstock Area Commission. He basically rambled that monkeys could have been in charge and the resort would have performed positively in the climate that was.

The meat and potatoes of the meeting was the delegation voting to retain a law firm to the tune of $20,000 to defend themselves against the Gunstock Area Commission. In other words my dear county residents, we the people are paying our tax revenues so two of our county commissions can play I have the biggest stick. When asked by one of the delegation representatives why the county attorney Andrew Livernois (who was in attendance at the meeting) could not represent them in this matter, Mr. Livernois replied and I paraphrase, his office was busy prosecuting criminal matters but made it clear, it's not the county attorney's job to defend itself against itself.

I think we all agree how important and iconic Gunstock is to the Lakes Region. Let's make it clear, we are informed, we are concerned and we want to work together, not against one another, and for God's sake act like a community not rival gangs.

Neil Lovett

Laconia