DOVER — Given a bit of time to think on it, it seems clear to me that the local workforce is the only victim in the edict handed down in March from Mount Snow's human resources department.
In light of the recent public proposal to give the Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain resort-district status in terms of zoning, I can see the intent behind Mount Snow's letter to staff, and it's obvious that they feel threatened.
Threatened by competition in a time when the ski resort business is by no means booming after a truly abysmal 2011–12 season nationwide.
Threatened by the slowly recovering economy with a frightening decrease in per-visitor spending and a steady decrease in statewide market share of skiers.
Threatened by the concept of a (not so) new “resort” popping up a mere 3{1/2} miles away.
I get that. Competition is hard. We all deal with it in some way or another. With fewer people building new homes locally, our local contractors might be trying to make ends meet by putting a plow on their truck and picking up a few driveways. More people with plows? Lower rates for plowing.
Competition inevitably drives down prices, which is generally considered good for consumers. But of course it has a deleterious effect on the businesses, shrinking their margins, their income, and the like. I get it.
But the idea that Mount Snow's base, its employees - in fact, its champions and ambassadors - present a “conflict of interest” in their constant efforts to make a living in an area with substandard wages and nigh-upon-ridiculous property taxes smacks of ignorance.
Our unemployment rate remains staggeringly above the mean of the region while our wages remain an equally staggering percentage below the accepted livable-wage rate and a full one-third lower than the state average for annual wage.
You know why that is?
It is directly attributable to the high number of service jobs in the area. There's a parallel in there somewhere.
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So let's admit that it's tough times - that's easy enough to do. But let's take the common man back into focus and remember who we're talking about here.
Removing a viable and consistent wage-paying source of employment from your own employees' options is a bold stroke and a clear line in the sand. Further requiring that your employees not so much as volunteer for Haystack only deepens the wound with a salted blade.
There was no mention whatsoever in the memo of Mount Snow trying to retain any staff in a more full-time capacity or to reach out in any way to secure the services of your seasoned and dedicated employees. Just a due date of April 21 to chose a side.
As someone who is passionately involved in economic development, I find this stance disparaging, to say the least.
In a time when we desperately need to work together to make sure that our residents can continue to be residents, this edict for many is yet another setback. It forces good, hard-working, loyal folks to search for another lackluster-paying job to keep the family fed, to keep the taxes and mortgage paid, and to keep the car on the road.
One could argue, of course, that Haystack is victimized in some way by not getting the benefit of the (by no means proprietary) knowledge held by this legion of Mount Snow employees moonlighting down the road. And I can understand Mount Snow wanting to keep their well-trained and experienced personnel close.
But the best way to do that is to offer them year-round employment at a livable wage.
By eliminating the employment pool from Haystack, Mount Snow further increases the likelihood of imported labor and those jobs going to others outside of the region, all the while making it harder for the company's own employees to make a living locally and thus increasing the likelihood that they will look beyond this area for stable work.
In other words: this is bad business.
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For disclosure's sake, I am not an employee of Mount Snow or Haystack, though I derived a substantial portion of my music income from performing at Mount Snow at its various venues and fantastic bar and food outlets.
And to be clear, I'm not trying to bite the feeding hand above me, but I do feel that it is important to speak up and to make the point from an economic-development perspective about a policy that hurts our local workforce and has minimal effect on Haystack/Hermitage's business.
I can only urge Mount Snow and its management to seek a better route to success and prosperity in the region. Mount Snow has traditionally been a strong local leader in a multitude of ways for the region, the town, and its employees.
I have a deep respect for so many of the employees of Mount Snow and Peak Resorts that it pains me to write any words of criticism, but I do hope that the management can clarify this position and gracefully retract the policy, letting the great people of our area get back to work without animosity.
Also, please keep hiring me to play music at your bars. I really appreciate it.