Sean Sullivan: Politics shouldn't dictate Gunstock's future

To The Daily Sun,

Let’s call the public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 16, what it is, a political witch hunt and power grab. The enabling statute that created the Gunstock Area Commission was devised to prevent this exact situation. Prior to 1959, the County Delegation had full authority over the operations of Gunstock and was doing a poor job, due to political influence and lack of knowledge of the recreation industry.

The creation of the commission allowed public servants to educate themselves on the workings of Gunstock and operate it in a financially responsible manner. The enabling statute also included several safeguards which allow the delegation oversight. The two main safeguards are the power of appointment and approval of all debt obligations. Each commissioner is appointed to a five-year term. The length of term is important, given the political times we are in. The delegation members are elected to two-year terms and therefore each delegation has a limited ability to overturn the makeup of the delegation. My belief is this is the purpose behind the public hearing. The current delegation knows it has the votes to dismiss the majority of commissioners and therefore have substantial influence on the operations of Gunstock for the foreseeable future. However, the statute does not allow this to happen, unless “just cause” is proven. Rep. Norm Silber and Rep. Mike Sylvia will present issues they believe rise to the level of “just cause,” but if they were to look in the mirror and apply the same logic the mirror would shatter.

Here is an example of the political times I reference: Four years ago, I was seeking reappointment to the Gunstock Area Commission, for a second term. Rep. Silber and I didn’t see eye to eye on what, if anything, Gunstock should pay the county as a payment in lieu of taxes. Therefore, he recruited Mr. Brian Gallagher to join the commission. As they had both served as delegation members and shared similar philosophies regarding Gunstock, it made sense. In 2020, Mr. Gallagher was selling his home in Sanbornton and moving to a rental property in Gilford. The statute required Commissioners to be property owners in Belknap County and no more than two commissioners could reside in the same municipality. Therefore, Mr. Gallagher would have to step down from the commission as he no longer met the requirements. In step Rep. Silber proposed and passed HB 1442, which removed these two requirements, therefore allowing Mr. Gallagher to remain on the commission.

Just one year later, Rep. Silber is fighting to have Mr. Gallagher among others removed from the commission. I wonder why? Let’s not allow politics to decide the future of our beloved Gunstock.

And lastly, in Rep. Silber’s history lesson in the Nov. 12, issue of The Sun, he states the inception of Gunstock was in 1959. Rep. Silber, if your grandfather, like mine, helped build the Belknap County Recreational Area, you would know it was completed in 1937.

Sean Sullivan

Meredith