Where North Country Candidates Stand on Leasing Cannon Mountain

As North Country voters consider their choices for state Legislature, we thought you'd like to know where the candidates stand on the potential leasing of Cannon Mountain to the private sector.

Senate District 1:

Jeff Woodburn
Democratic Candidate

He opposes leasing and sent us a link to something he wrote for the NH Business Review:

http://jeffwoodburn.com/?p=294

Debi Warner
Republican Candidate

Did not reply to our requests for information

Here is what the candidates for House District 2, which includes  Franconia, Lisbon, Lyman, Monroe and Sugar Hill, have told us:

Denis Ward
Republican Candidate
I think the old expression "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies quite well here. Though I think there are places where the NH government could gain efficiency by enlisting the help of the private sector, I don't think Franconia Notch State Park is one of them. I would not support privatizing Cannon Mountain.

Rebecca Brown
Democratic Candidate
So far, leasing is more a way to tackle the state's fiscal issues than a way to serve the interests of the community and the park. I will oppose any attempt to solve the state's fiscal issues on the back of Cannon Mountain - just like I oppose Northern Pass as an attempt by PSNH to solve its financial woes on the back of the North Country. If the leasing issue continues to be brought forward, we need to put that question into the context of a master plan for the entire Franconia Notch State Park. A master planning process needs to be driven by the needs of the park, Franconia and the rest of the local community, and it needs to recognize and respect the park's history and intent, as well as the economic and financial factor.

In House District 14, which includes parts of Littleton and Bethlehem:
Brad Bailey
Republican Candidate
Did not reply to our requests for information

Doug Grant
Democratic Candidate
I cannot help but see the resemblance between privatizing Franconia Notch State Park and running Northern Pass through the White Mountain National Forest. In both cases land belonging to the people in perpetuity is to be turned over to a private group of developers. I could go on and on but I will keep this statement brief. Let me be clear - I am totally opposed to this plan.

Cannon Earns High Marks in Ski Magazine Guide...And Reader Touts State Control

The annual Ski Magazine resort guide is in, once again with kind words for Cannon, which ranked No. 17 in the East. We particularly liked one reader's comments: "Great history, challenging trails, killer views, good value. A skier's mountain; love the vibe. Please, please, please remain state-owned and managed."

To read the guide, click here.

Gubernatorial Candidates Reveal Positions on Potential Leasing of Cannon Mountain

As New Hampshire voters consider their choices for governor, we thought we'd pass along where the candidates stand on the potential leasing of Cannon Mountain to the private sector. At a travel and tourism forum this month, Ovide Lamontagne said he favors exploring lease options for Cannon. Maggie Hassan's campaign said this month that she opposes leasing Cannon.

State Inspection Finds No Major Erosion Concerns at Mittersill

One of the concerns the pro-lease camp raised during this year's leasing battle was over erosion at Mittersill. We're told that an inspector from the state Department of Environmental Services hiked the entire Mittersill work road with Cannon management last week and identified no major erosion concerns whatsoever. 

Nonetheless, the inspector is working with Cannon to craft an erosion-control plan for the Mittersill work road, which is something that the Department of Resources and Economic Development agreed to do in negotiations with the state Senate earlier this year.

Franconia Notch State Park Earns Spot on List of Nation's Top Parks

Franconia Notch State Park, which as you know includes Cannon Mountain, was named the No. 2 state park in America on Adventure Journal's list of America's 20 Best State Parks. To see the list, click here.

Let's hope that the state's elected officials continue to recognize the importance of keeping the park intact and keeping Cannon Mountain under state control.

Park City Mountain Lease Dispute: Just Another Reason Leasing Cannon Is a Risky Proposition

A lease dispute had threatened to force Park City Mountain Resort to close for the upcoming season. They've agreed to a short-term deal to open this winter while they resume negotiations for a new long-term lease.

This is just another example of why leasing is a bad idea - and one that's fraught with risk for Cannon Mountain, its skiers and riders and the North Country.

To learn more about the Utah lease fiasco, see this report from SnoCountry.

SB217 Dies in the Legislature

What was left of SB217, the Cannon Mountain lease bill, has died in the Legislature after the Senate disagreed with an unrelated amendment the House tacked on the bill last month.

The final version of the bill called for the creation of a hiking corridor over Mittersill and on to the summit of Cannon. The lease, master plan and veterans memorial aspects of the bill were stripped from the measure last month while it was in the House.

Thank you for your support, email, letters and phone calls to state lawmakers. We're told that it made a difference!

While leasing is dead for this year, we're willing to bet that the issue will come up again. Recent calls to privatize Cannon have come from the Senate. With a full third of the Senate membership not running for re-election, it's anyone's guess what that will mean for Cannon and Franconia Notch State Park. Gov. John Lynch, who has always opposed leasing Cannon, also is not seeking re-election.

House Committee Strips Lease Language from Cannon Mountain Lease Bill

The House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee today stripped SB217, the Cannon Mountain lease bill, of its lease, Franconia Notch State Park/Cannon master plan and veterans memorial sections, leaving only the original hiking corridor language intact.

It also attached unrelated legislation to the bill. The measure will face the full House on May 15.

To see the amended bill, click here.

This potentially means the end of lease talk for this legislative session. But it also might mean that the issue will be brought up again next year.

'Whistleblowers' Find Long-Established Glade at Mittersill

If you emailed Sen. Jeb Bradley about his Cannon lease bill, you probably got a reply last week that concluded, "whistleblowers have recently brought to my attention significant tree cutting for glade skiing high on the mountain. I brought this presumably unauthorized cutting to the attention of the Division of Parks, which is currently investigating."

The senator was concerned because the area in question is above 2,500 feet on former Forest Service land that's habitat for the Bicknell's thrush, a small songbird.

It turns out that the senator discovered the glade known as Bunny Slope Direct or Pony Slope Direct, which has been around for about two decades.

Did N.H. Lease Mount Sunapee for Below Fair Market Value?

A 1996 federal report found that the U.S. Forest Service wasn't getting fair market value for special use permits it grants to ski areas that lease federal land. The General Accounting Office report said that the Forest Service was getting less than 3 percent of revenue from the holders of special use permits -- such as ski area leases -- while states received between 5 and 15 percent of revenue generated for similar uses of state-owned land. 

The lease for Mount Sunapee, which came less than 18 months after the federal report was issued, includes a small annual base rent payment to the state, plus 3 percent of gross revenues. 

With other states receiving between 5 and 15 percent of revenues for leasing their property, this suggests that New Hampshire is not getting fair market value for the Mount Sunapee lease. And if that's the case, it shortchanges the state park system and Cannon Mountain while providing a sweetheart deal for the leaseholder, CNL Lifestyle Properties, which is now North America's largest owner of ski areas.

The Mount Sunapee lease payments help fund capital improvements at Cannon Mountain. The rationale for leasing Mount Sunapee was to eliminate the need for state-funded capital improvements at both mountains, while retaining the state-run Cannon as an integral part of Franconia Notch State Park. (For background on this topic, click here.)

Although this arrangement is far from perfect -- and one can question the wisdom of using one state park as an ATM for another -- it has addressed Cannon's capital needs. But SB217 puts this in jeopardy by threatening to lease Cannon and diverting Mount Sunapee lease payments for purposes not spelled out in the legislation.

House Committee Takes Critical Look at Cannon Mountain Lease Bill

The House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee took a very critical look at SB217, the Cannon Mountain lease bill, during its hearing yesterday. Members will vote on the bill on May 10.

House Veterans Committee to Review Cannon Mountain Lease Bill on May 3

The House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing on SB217, the Cannon Mountain lease bill, at 9:30 a.m. on May 3 in Room 203 of the Legislative Office Building in Concord.

If you'd like to let the committee know your feelings about the veterans aspects of the bill, you can attend or email them at HouseState-FederalRelationsandVeteransAffairs@leg.state.nh.us

The bill calls for the creation of a privately funded veterans memorial to the south of the Aerial Tramway building and relocation of the Kinsman Ridge Trail trailhead.

When it was created in 1928, Franconia Notch State Park was dedicated as a war memorial.

House Committee Passes Cannon Mountain Lease Bill

The House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee this week passed SB217, the Cannon Mountain lease bill. The full House is expected to take up the bill on April 25.

The committee passed the bill as is, meaning that it still calls on the agency that manages state parks to develop a master plan for Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch State Park. The Department of Resources and Economic Development worked with the Senate to include the master plan provision in the bill.

At the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee hearing earlier this month, the bill's prime sponsor, Sen. Jeb Bradley, said he wanted the master plan provision removed from the bill, citing its cost.

Cannon Lease Bill Sponsor's Amendment Request Surprises House Committee and State Park Officials

Here’s a recap of yesterday’s House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee hearing on SB217, the Cannon Mountain lease bill. The bill calls for the state Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) to develop a master plan for Franconia Notch State Park and Cannon Mountain, including determining whether leasing Cannon to the private sector is in the public interest. It also would create a hiking trail up Mittersill and over to the summit of Cannon and develop a veterans memorial near the base of the Aerial Tramway.

Sen. Jeb Bradley, the bill’s prime sponsor, was not pleased that DRED estimated the master plan would cost $325,000. He claimed the agency could do an “internal” master plan within the confines of its existing budget. Bradley asked the committee to amend the bill by removing the master plan section and to move forward with just the hiking trail and veterans aspects of the bill. He also criticized the way Cannon is run and said it was clear that the leasing component of the bill was dead for this year.

Bradley’s amendment request seemed to surprise both the committee and DRED officials, who had worked with the Senate to craft a compromise bill that was acceptable to both sides.

Legislative Mischief Raises Its Head in House

The House committee hearing on the Cannon Mountain lease bill was interesting today, to say the least, as SB217's prime sponsor proposed major revisions to the amended bill.

The Department of Resources and Economic Development worked in good faith with the Senate to craft an amended bill it could support. The bill called on DRED to develop a master plan for Franconia Notch State Park and Cannon Mountain, including whether leasing the mountain to the private sector was in the public interest.

At the hearing today, prime sponsor Sen. Jeb Bradley urged the House committee to remove the master plan section of the bill, citing its cost, and once again criticized Cannon's management and business model.

Cannon supporters want the bill killed. Sen. Bradley wants it amended. And DRED, Cannon and the State Park System Advisory Council all argued that the master plan should remain a part of the bill.

Now it's up to the House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee to determine whether the bill should be amended, killed or sent along to a House-Senate conference committee. Stay tuned!

Parks Agency to Support SB217

The agency that oversees state parks and Cannon Mountain will testify in support of SB217, the amended Cannon lease bill, during tomorrow's House committee hearing.

The Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) worked with the Senate to amend SB217 into something it can support.

While we still have concerns about the bill and its potential impact on Cannon and Franconia Notch State Park, it at least pushes off lease discussions until the middle of 2013.


Specifically, the amended bill:

• Calls on DRED to develop a master plan for Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch State Park, including an analysis of whether it is in the public interest to lease the ski area to a private operator.
• The master plan would be submitted to the State Park System Advisory Council before being submitted to the governor and Executive Council by July 1, 2013.
• Calls on DRED to develop a plan to ensure that ski operations of Cannon Mountain will become "self-funded" and "self-sufficient." This plan must be completed by Nov. 1, 2012.

The bill also would establish a veterans memorial and create hiking trails over Mittersill and on to the summit of Cannon.


In the past, DRED and the State Park System Advisory Council have opposed bills that called for leasing Cannon to a private operator.

House Panel Schedules Hearing on Cannon Lease Bill

The House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee will hold a hearing on the Cannon lease bill, SB217, at 1:45 p.m. on April 10. The hearing will be held in Room 305 of the Legislative Office Building, 33 North State St., in Concord. This will be your opportunity to tell state representatives that you oppose leasing the mountain to a private operator.

You also can email the committee, which is headed by Rep. Andrew Renzullo. The committee's email address is HouseResourcesRecreationandDevelopment@leg.state.nh.us

Please consider sending along a copy of your email to Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner George Bald and State Parks Director Phil Bryce: george.bald@dred.state.nh.us
phil.bryce@dred.state.nh.us

For more information on the committee, you can check out its web page by clicking here.

If you prefer mail to email, committee member addresses are available here.

Cannon Lease Bill Now in House Committee

The Cannon lease bill, SB217, is now in the House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee. Although no hearing date has been set yet, you can still contact committee members to let them know that you oppose the privatization of Cannon Mountain.

The committee's email address is HouseResourcesRecreationandDevelopment@leg.state.nh.us

Please consider sending along a copy of your email to Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner George Bald and State Parks Director Phil Bryce: george.bald@dred.state.nh.us
phil.bryce@dred.state.nh.us

For more information on the committee, you can check out its web page by clicking here.

If you prefer mail to email, committee member addresses are available here.

Senate Passes Cannon Lease Bill, Sends Measure to House

By voice vote, the Senate today passed the Cannon lease bill, SB217. The bill now goes to the House.


As soon as we confirm which committee will handle the bill in the House, we'll provide email contact information.


We expected the bill to pass the Senate. It likely will face tougher sledding in the House.

Sen. Gallus to NPR: Lease Bill Isn't Strong Enough

Longtime Cannon lease advocate Sen. John Gallus told New Hampshire Public Radio that he will oppose the Cannon lease bill, SB217, because of amendments that weakened the measure. He was the lone senator on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to vote against the bill earlier this month.

To read the NPR story, click here.

Veterans Group Leader Opposes Lease Bill

Veterans service officer Howie Howe, Patriot Guard Riders of NH RC Coordinator, NH Help On The Homefront Veterans Advocate and Wounded Warrior Project, has sent an email indicating his opposition to the Cannon lease bill. It appears below.

Last year we fought off attempts to lease Cannon Mountain Ski area, which is
part of the Franconia Notch State Park, because the Ski area Base Lodge
contains a Veterans Memorial room. Reportedly Franconia Notch State Park
(FNSP) is the only profitable State Park in the State, and happened to turn
in a $1.24M surplus last year to the state to help the other parks. People
will remember that a few years back a deal was made to lease Sunapee
Mountain to a private company, and take that money to improve Cannon
Mountain. That was done and the end result is that combined Franconia Notch
State Park and Cannon Mountain, under new joint management, is profitable,
but the proponents of leasing or privatizing everything that belongs to the
people continues without reason.

Now, if you remember, Franconia Notch State Park was dedicated as a Veterans
Memorial back in the 1920's, and the lodge at the base of the mountain
contains a memorial room full of memorabilia about the History of NH, which
of course is based on the efforts of our Veterans. We shared pictures of
those items last year, and I still have them if anybody needs them, or wants
to see them again.

For some reason, Jeb Bradley, the Senate President, is hellbound on leasing
the Ski area to a private company, which would remove the current capable
management that runs both sides of the operation. That would just be wrong.
In his efforts to try and buy our votes, he keeps trying to tie Veterans to
his proposal by such gimmicks as renaming the park "Franconia Notch Veterans
Memorial State Park" and erecting a Veterans memorial in the State Park,
ignoring the Ski Lodge connection, in the hopes we will look the other way
when they do this. We can not let this happen.

Senate to Vote Next Week on Cannon Lease Bill

The full Senate is likely to vote on the Cannon lease bill next week, possibly as early as Wednesday, March 21. We won't know the exact date until the Senate calendar is published late Thursday or early Friday.

If you want to make your voice heard, you'll need to email all 24 senators as soon as possible. For email contact information, click here.

We're told that the full Senate will vote the bill up or down next week. The bill, SB217, may wind up going to the Senate Finance Committee for review before heading to the House of Representatives.

We'll post more updates as information becomes available. To keep up to date with the latest developments, sign up to follow the blog by email. Just enter your email address into the "follow by email" box to the right of this post. Your email address remains private and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Thanks for your support!

Full Senate to Consider Cannon Lease Bill

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday voted 4-1 to send the amended Cannon lease bill to the full Senate for consideration.

To voice your opposition to this bill, SB217, contact all 24 state senators. (For a quick rundown of the bill, click here.) As a reminder, please keep your email polite and stick to the issues.

To email all senators, simply copy the address list below and paste it into your email program's "to" window:

john.gallus@leg.state.nh.us
jeanie.forrester@leg.state.nh.us
jeb.bradley@leg.state.nh.us
james.forsythe@leg.state.nh.us
matthew.houde@leg.state.nh.us
fenton.groen@leg.state.nh.us
andy.sanborn@leg.state.nh.us
bob.odell@leg.state.nh.us
raymond.white@leg.state.nh.us
molly.kelly@leg.state.nh.us
peter.bragdon@leg.state.nh.us
jim.luther@leg.state.nh.us
gary.lambert@leg.state.nh.us
sharon.carson@leg.state.nh.us
sylvia.larsen@leg.state.nh.us
dboutin1465@comcast.net
jack.barnes@leg.state.nh.us
tom.deblois@leg.state.nh.us
james.rausch@leg.state.nh.us
dalas@leg.state.nh.us
amanda.merrill@leg.state.nh.us
chuck.morse@leg.state.nh.us
represcott@represcott.com
nancy.stiles@leg.state.nh.us

If you would like to call senators, you can find their telephone numbers by clicking here.

Cannon Lease Bill Amended

The Cannon lease bill, SB217, was amended on March 5. To read the new version of the bill, click here.

Specifically, the amended bill:

• Calls on the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) to develop a master plan for Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch State Park, including an analysis of whether it is in the public interest to lease the ski area to a private operator.
• The master plan would be submitted to the State Park System Advisory Council (which opposes leasing) before being submitted to the governor and Executive Council by July 1, 2013.
• Calls on DRED to develop a plan to ensure that ski operations of Cannon Mountain will become self-funded and self-sufficient. This plan must be completed by Nov. 1, 2012.

The bill also would establish a veterans memorial and create hiking trails over Mittersill and on to the summit of Cannon.

Welcome to the Save Cannon Mountain Blog!

We hope you find the Save Cannon Mountain blog to be a valuable resource for information regarding the proposed privatization of Cannon.

The blog home page will contain the latest information related to Cannon lease issues. The How to Help page contains useful contact information for state elected officials. The FAQ page answers some common questions about Cannon. The Pro-Lease Claims page aims to correct some of the misinformation put out by those who wish to see Cannon taken out of the state's hands. The Positive Trends page details how the mountain has been transformed since a new management team took over in 2007. The FNSP page examines the history of Franconia Notch State Park and its founders' intention for the Notch to forever remain under state control and free from commercial exploitation. The Sunapee vs. Cannon page reviews the history behind the Sunapee lease, why Cannon wasn't leased in 1998 and why the state and its taxpayers may not be getting their money's worth from the privatization of Sunapee. Finally, the Jobs page covers how privatization may affect employment opportunities for North Country residents.

Help us spread the word by sharing blog information with your Cannon friends. The best way to help fight privatization is to contact New Hampshire elected officials and let them know that you oppose leasing Cannon to the private sector.

To receive email updates when we post updates to the blog, simply type your email address into the "follow by email" box at the top right side of the page. (Your email address remains private and you are free to unsubscribe at any time.)

Comments or questions? Post them on the Save Cannon page on Facebook. Or email us at cannon4080@gmail.com

Lease Bill Status Update

We're told that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will vote on an amended SB217, the Cannon lease bill, at either its March 8 or March 15 meeting, with the 15th being the more likely date.

If you haven't contacted committee members yet, please do so. Here is their contact information:

bob.odell@leg.state.nh.us
john.gallus@leg.state.nh.us
jeb.bradley@leg.state.nh.us
gary.lambert@leg.state.nh.us
amanda.merrill@leg.state.nh.us

Thanks for your support!

Coming Soon: Aerial Tramway Bungee Jumping?

If plans released this month for new summertime activities at Mount Sunapee are any indication, leasing Cannon Mountain is a threat to the tranquility of Franconia Notch State Park.

The private operators of the state-owned Mount Sunapee have filed plans to add new recreational activities over the next two summers, including a canopy tour zip line, aerial adventure park, disc golf, Segway tours and miniature golf. 

If Cannon is leased, will we see similar commercial activity within the park?

To see the full Mount Sunapee operational plan, which was just filed on Feb. 1, click here.

Gov. Lynch Opposes Bill to Lease Cannon

Gov. John Lynch has sent the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee a letter expressing his opposition to proposals to lease Cannon.

"I want to express my strong opposition to the provision that would require DRED to solicit requests for information from potential lessors interested in operating Cannon Mountain ski operations," the governor wrote.

To read his full letter, click here.

Conservation NH Calls Cannon Lease Bill One of 'Dirty Dozen Bills to Kill'

Conservation NH calls SB217, the Cannon lease bill, one of its "dirty dozen bills to kill in 2012."

The group writes that, "A more logical approach would be for DRED to develop a master plan for Franconia Notch State Park, fully engage the public in the development process, and ensure that the master plan addresses key issues facing the park’s future – including its name, the potential for leasing, and specific capital improvements needed to sustain the park and its use by the public."

Read more at the Conservation NH website.