Rep. Norman J. Silber: All property owners, taxpayers should look critically at Gunstock

To The Daily Sun,

I am puzzled by my being singled out for attack by several letter writers, cowards too anonymous to provide their names on nasty emails and voicemails, and even the governor, over what has been going on at the Gunstock Recreation Area. So, to set the record straight, I will provide some facts, not rumors or lies.

I am only one of 18 elected state representatives comprising the Belknap County Delegation. I do not “control,” or claim to control, the vote of anyone on the delegation other than my own.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of the Free State Project. I moved to New Hampshire not even knowing about the existence of the Free State Project.

I am not a Gunstock commissioner. I do not supervise or exercise oversight over Gunstock. My only role is to interview, question and vote on applicants for appointment to the Gunstock Area Commission, which I have done.

When the Gunstock Area Commission brought a frivolous lawsuit against the delegation, as the only lawyer on the delegation, I was tasked with finding lawyers to defend the delegation, which is what I did. The engagement letter with those lawyers was discussed and approved by a majority vote of the delegation.

In denying the request for a preliminary injunction in that suit, the Superior Court stated, in part, “it appears that the Plaintiff-Commission now seeks to preliminarily enjoin the Defendant­-Convention from removing the subject Commissioners, despite their statutory authority to do so... ” Ultimately, the suit was dropped with prejudice.

Do I, as a property owner and taxpayer in the county, have questions about the propriety and level of stewardship exercised by the prior Gunstock commissioners and staff? Yes, and other Belknap citizens should also have such questions.

Rep. Norm Silber

Gilford