HB1397 should be labeled “Kiedaisch Reclaiming His Power” or the complete repudiation of the “Citizens for Gunstock” ads that said we needed to “get politics out of Gunstock”?
Sore Losers. How about the “Gunstock Ski Area Thievery Bill”?
GAC Commissioner Gary Kiedaisch lost his “toy” and the response looks a lot like retribution. Rep. Lang for always being on the losing side against the Conservative bloc on the Belknap County Delegation?
This is an example of what the Left does when they lose. Change the rules, then claim foul, followed by claiming themselves to be the victims – and then go all Hegelian Dialectic by “offering a solution” that advances THEM while appearing to “help the masses.”
But it’s always about punishing foes who simply play by the Rules.
And an amendment has been put in to completely sever any relationship between Belknap County and the ski area it owns forever.
No, this is ALL about not wanting to play by the rules when they bet the farm and lose. If you can’t win by those rules, sign up some suckers to change the rules for you. Or is this, in part, this Gunstock Area Commissioner Gary Kiedaisch’s (and perhaps GMR President / GM Tom Day’s as well) version of WWII’s Battle of the Bulge? After all, BOTH of their handpicked candidates that signed up to be the next GAC Commissioner failed miserably.
Those of us “of age and good educations” know the story of that authoritarian regime, in the throws of losing the war, that put up a Hail Mary – and lost. Yep, that “advertisement” above is certainly a false flag operation, and once again, Squishy/uninformed Republicans are falling for it. Kiedaisch, formerly a powerful CEO of multiple corporations and recently the former Vice-Chair and then Acting Chair and now just a member, saw all of his political support wiped out and left alone on “Gunstock Ski Area is a BUSINESS and not a Government Agency” island.
Locals stepped up to run as openings showed up to maintain Gunstock as a local, family-friendly county-owned ski area and don’t like the idea of turning it into a miniature version of “The Big Boy” areas further North, West, and East. They didn’t like the idea that the GAC (the Overwatchers) and GMR Sr Mgt (the Watched) became almost inseparable and indistinguishable from each other.
And the “Tim Lang Gang” of the moderate to really RINO Rs (am assembling THEIR HRA / NHLA / AFP / Cornerstone voting records – after all, September Primary and November’s general election are coming soon – those kinds of folks are already plotting to take out MY Liberty-minded/Conservative representatives; two can play at that game). And at the Senatorial level as well.
They declared war – Let’s go all Ukrainian on them, shall we?
But I digress – After all, if you can’t win by the normal political process, then “persuade” the Politically Powerful to change the law to slant the advantage onto a level where his money can make the difference? That’s what the Left ALWAYS does – move us further from our system of elected representation to “direct democracy” which our Founding Fathers knew has always been a disaster throughout history. 17th Amendment, anyone? How’s that worked out for us all (hint: it hasn’t)?
What the squishes and the Left are mad about is that the Conservatives played by the rules that everyone has had to play by since 1959 – the origin of Gunstock Mountain Resort (nee, Belknap County Ski Area) – and won. So, just like the Left, suffering defeat, they are seeking to change the Law to screw over the Conservative NH State Representatives that make up a majority on the Belknap County Delegation (and got elected by folks that believe in Conservative Principles) as it is the Delegation, according to that Law.
So having been on the losing side, they wish to change the Rules at the State level AT THE LAST MINUTE – this non-germain amendment just appeared on the radar on a completely different bill that would have granted 4-year terms for Rockingham elected officials (WHY would they get double the standard terms as anyone else here in NH??).
I dryly note that NH State Senator Bob Guida doesn’t even live in our District and doesn’t represent us – WHY is he sticking his nose into our business unless he’s being fed a line that he’s swallowed hook, line, and sinker? Oh, wait! He is going to need help as Gilford, where GMR is located, will be in his District.
Heh!
Sen. Giuda, Dist 2
Rep. Lang, Belk. 4
March 24, 2022
2022-1218s
12/04Amendment to HB 1397
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
AN ACT relative to the length of terms for Rockingham county officers and the election of the Gunstock Area Commission.
Note that the separation mentioned above isn’t here in the title – it’s carefully listed at the very bottom of the amendment – nice way to grab Power, right? Reformatted, emphasis mine:
Amend the bill by replacing all after section 2 with the following:
3 Gunstock Area Commission; Commission Member Elections. 1959, 399:4 as amended by 2020, 18:1 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
399:4 Commission Member Elections. Members of the commission shall be chosen by election held in conjunction with the state general election. At the first general election after the effective date of this section, 2 members of the commission shall be elected to serve 2-year terms, 2 members of the commission shall be elected to serve 4-year terms, and one member of the commission shall be elected to serve a 6-year term. Each member shall continue in office until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, and each member shall be subject to removal for cause by a vote of the county commissioners after public hearing.
That’s the “direct democracy bit I wanted about. This entire thing is set up because Lang and Kiedaisch can’t get either their own candidates elected or “pliable” ones. Remember, the Delegation elected Peter Ness to the Commission, and Kiedaisch and McLear, I believe, spent thousands of legal dollars to get him off. They strenuously objected to another Conservative, Dr. Strang being elected by the Delegation. Not happy with Jade Wood, either. And now with Conservative Doug Lambert elected, they’ve run the table.
So because they can’t manipulate the Delegation, they are going to rely on those residents to whom Gunstock is “theirs” (as they ski) as their voting block just like School Districts have their “schoolies” as special interest groups that they KNOW will outvote the folks who don’t ski and therefore, don’t care.
Yeah, all by the same folks that decried “politics don’t belong at Gunstock” but doubling down on using politics in such a craven response.
4 Gunstock Area Commission; Vacancies. 1959, 399:8 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
399:8 Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs in said commission, it shall be filled by a vote of the county commissioners until a new member is chosen in the county by the voters at the next general election. Any member duly elected and qualified to fill a vacancy shall only serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
One more step toward Direct Democracy. That’s how the Socialists put it as that’s what they want. Doubt me? Just read the writings of any of the “Democrat Socialist” groups and see how often they use that phrase.
5 New Paragraph; Gunstock Area Commission; Quarterly Report. Amend 1959, 399:14 as amended by 2020, 18:2 by inserting after paragraph (f) the following new paragraph:
(g) At the beginning of each quarter, by the 15th of the month, the commission shall submit a financial and operations report to the following entities: the county delegation, the county commissioners, and the clerk of every town and city in Belknap county. The report shall include, but shall not be limited to, a summary of profits or losses and the status of all capital projects.
6 Gunstock Area Commission; Reference Changes. Amend 1959, 399:17-18 to read as follows:
399:17 Powers of the County Commissioners. As long as this chapter shall be in effect[, and upon the appointment of a commission by the appointive agency], the county commissioners of Belknap county shall be relieved of all duties and responsibilities with respect to the operation and maintenance of the area.
And that’s almost the worst of it:
- County Commissioners elect the GAC
- There will be NO OVERSIGHT of the GAC anymore – not even by the Delegation.
And that last part was why this whole political mess started in the first place – GMR was being run for the sake of the GMR. The GAC was NOT being responsive to the public and that’s why changes in the GAC Commissioners were being made. And trust me, there’s more coming out.
Lang, Day, and Kiedashaisch (and now “I’ve been fed a line” Guida) are upset that their playground has been invaded by the Conservatives in the room. This is how the Left rolls.
399:18 Present Assets, Loans and Other Obligations. [Upon the appointment of a commission by the appointive agency, all] All money [then] held by the county of Belknap for the account of the area, shall be considered transferred to the commission for the purposes of this chapter, which shall include any accounts which are kept as capital reserve accounts, or accounts known as Belknap county recreational area fund, and any obligation for the payment of any outstanding serial notes or bonds or any other current bills at such time shall be considered to have been transferred to the commission and shall be payable out of future revenues.
I dryly note that even as all control is being transferred away from both the Belknap County Delegation AND now the Belknap County Commissioners, there is no provision to cut off Gunstock from pleading on its knees, during “bad years”, for taxpayer monies. Great deal for them, right?
7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Amendment to HB 397
2022-1218s
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a 4-year term for the county treasurer, county sheriff, county register of deeds, and county attorney in Rockingham county.
The above was simply the entirety of purpose of the original bill. Instead, it’s become the “Gunstock Thievery Bill”.
This bill also requires that Gunstock area commission members be elected by the voters and amends the duties of the commission.
The obvious thought that came to my mind, and others as well, is if there is any pro quid pro (e.g., scratch my back and I’ll scratch your) in saving Power and saving seats in the upcoming elections? WHY ELSE would this amendment have been put into the hopper “in the dead of night”?