Gunstock

The issues in Belknap County revealed a broader tension within the Republican Party, with members of the libertarian-minded Free State Project and others who share some of their beliefs about extremely limited government running as Republicans.

The results of Tuesday’s Republican primary will bring major changes to the Belknap County delegation, with the ousting of Reps. Michael Sylvia and Norm Silber.

Sununu, who is seeking his fourth term, recently inserted himself into a power struggle over Gunstock Mountain Resort, siding with staff who quit en masse and forced a two-week shutdown last month.

The conflict that led to a temporary closure this summer was about much more than the fate of the mountain resort.

N.H. update: The general manager of the Belknap County-owned resort and other senior staff resigned July 20 in a power struggle with the Gunstock Area Commission.

Gunstock Commission Chairman Peter Ness resigned Friday, the latest development in a long-running fight over control of the Belknap County-owned mountain.

Officials fear the mountain resort won't be able to reopen until two commissioners, Peter Ness and Dr. David Strang, step down.

In a response to Governor Sununu's letter, Rep. Norm Silber released a statement calling the governor's statement “unwarranted interference” and claimed the management's resignation to be part of a “well orchestrated and well financed campaign of disinformation to divert attention from soon to be released reports from the financial and legal auditors engaged by the Gunstock Area Commission, which reports may be very damaging to the reputations of the resigned commissioner many of the resigned staff, and the governor himself.”

The entire management staff of Gunstock Mountain Resort tendered their resignations at the beginning of Wednesday night's Gunstock Area Commission meeting.

The move came on the same day a New Hampshire legislative committee unanimously opposed a bill to give county lawmakers direct say over the mountain resort.