Always colorful, Crow created legacy in legislature

After 32 years in Concord, Dickinson ushered out as the dean of the N.H. House

A bit of a maverick; a mentor; a good storyteller; and someone who never ducked an issue those are just some of the ways Republican Howard "Crow" Dickinson is described. The South Conway resident had been the long-standing dean of the New Hampshire House until Tuesday when his re-election bid for a 17th term came up short. Dickinson served in Concord for 32 years winning his first election when Richard Nixon was president; the price of a gallon of gasoline was 38 cents; the computer was just a dream; and politics were a whole lot simpler.Dickinson said he was disappointed with the outcome of this election because he felt he still had plenty to offer his community. He was already working on a number of bills including attempting to lower insurance rates through bulk buy-ins and trying to cut down on the number of frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits."I'm not one to toot my own horn, never have and I'm not about to now," said Dickinson, 70, who hasn't ruled out a run for office in 2008."I'm sorry to see him leave," Representative Gene Chandler said. "Crow is quite a character and it won't be the same without him down there. I think he always represented the people of this district well. With this election it was tough because it wasn't about local or state issues."State Senator Joe Kenney agreed. "I just appreciate all his years of service to the valley, and I've enjoyed working with him in the legislature over the last 12 years," he said. "(Dickinson) has been a mentor and someone who helped me along in my legislative career."Dickinson's career began in international banking after a tour of duty in the U.S. Navy, first as a gunnery officer on the USS Mississinewa and then with North Atlantic Treaty Organization in its southern European headquarters. He received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1958 and a master's degree in forestry from Yale University in 1966.While working as a consulting forester in the late 1960s, Dickinson said he realized that farmland and forest land were being liquidated and developed at an alarming rate as land was being assessed as house lots. Later, as a legislator, he worked to change the New Hampshire Constitution and pass the Current-Use Assessment Law, which mandated that land be assessed on the basis of its current use for "what it is rather than what it might be."Prior to being elected to the House in 1974, Dickinson served on the Conway Board of Selectmen with Chet Lucy and Fran Deasy, and he represented selectmen for two years on the budget committee. He was a delegate to the 1974 and 1984 New Hampshire Constitutional conventions.Dickinson served on the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee throughout his first 10 terms in the legislature, and was the committee's chairman for a decade. The committee oversees all water-related uses under the Division of Water Resources, the Wetlands Board and the Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control, and all recreational issues related to lakes, ponds and rivers."All of these subjects are particularly important to the economy and way of life in Mount Washington Valley and the North Country," Dickinson said.During his career, Dickinson said three major accomplishments come to mind. He drafted and got passed legislation for the right to bear arms in the state constitution; he wrote the state current use assessment regulations; and drafted the skier liability policy, which is now used by ski resorts across America."Those are some of the things I'd like to be remembered for," Dickinson said. "We never had a right-to-bear-arms clause in our state constitution. I had the phrase 'the right to bear arms in defense of our self, family and state,' added. ... In 1970, I helped to write the current use assessment, and that's really how I got started in politics. We should be taxing the land for what it is rather than what it might be."In 1979, it was around Christmastime and there was all of this talk about a skier who had gotten injured at Mount Snow, sued and won $1.5 million," he recalled. "I didn't think that was quite right so Stan Judge, Phil Gravink, who was at Loon at the time, and I got together and sat down and wrote a law word for word. ... There was this big meeting at Logan Airport and representatives from all of the ski states were there and they liked what they heard. What it does is it limits ski area liability. When you're on the lift going up the mountain and something happens the ski area is responsible. When you get off the lift and if you were to go on to fall and hurt yourself, it is our responsibility. ... I think every other skiing state went onto adopt it. I was skiing in Idaho some time later and got off the lift and there was the same law on the wall word for word."I enjoy being able to solve problems," Dickinson said. "I hear from people who are absolutely desperate and angry and in many cases all they need is just the right phone number or for me to make a phone call for them."In 2000, Dickinson said he voted against capital punishment only because of the form of death proposed."I really am opposed to lethal injection," he said. "If we are going to have it I think it should be a public hanging (in order to deter further crimes and offered it as an eye-opener to children)."Dickinson recalled a day in July 2003 as being one of the worst days of his life, when he accidentally left a loaded gun in his carry-on luggage. The confiscation of Dickinson's gun was the first at Manchester Airport. Dickinson called the incident "a horrible, stupid mistake" and apologized to his constituents. "I owe it to the people of Mount Washington Valley to speak about this awful experience," he said. "... If it suits the Transportation Security Administration I'd be more than willing to have a live discussion on (WMUR) Channel 9 to try to help people understand the serious nature of what has occurred if that would help. ... Hopefully, somewhere in (the Transportation Security Administration) there is some legislation in the rules that allows for dumb-ass screw-ups like me. It was an honest mistake one I feel terrible about. ... Am I a danger to society? Absolutely not, but there is a process and that process has to be played out. ... As I've said before, I just want to apologize to the people of the valley for being such a fool and I'm eternally grateful for all of the support. Honest to God, this has been a terrible week."Despite this lapse in judgment, Dickinson remained popular with voters.Thanks to Dickinson's efforts, people's phones don't ring as much during the dinner time hours. He was instrumental in getting a no call list against tele-marketers established.Dickinson said he enjoyed being a mentor for the younger representatives. "I (was one) of the deans of the House," he said. "... I (was) amazed at how much I tended to take for granted in the House, being able to know my way around. I really enjoyed meeting new members."Dickinson is proud to have maintained his dignity and pride while in Concord. A prime example came in May of 2005 when Republican leadership removed him as chairman of the N.H. House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee. At the time Dickinson said he voted his conscience on the budget, opposing the rest of Speaker Doug Scamman's team on four of five votes. "It's a very small price to pay for my integrity," he said. "This is sort of like going to your own funeral you find out who your friends are. ... I know it wasn't Doug's choice, he was just the messenger. I know he was visibly upset when he broke the news. As we were talking his eyes filled with tears. I've known Doug for a long time and we're friends, I know this is about more than friendship. Plain and simple it was politics."Dickinson said he's received support from colleagues."I know who my friends are," he said. "It's been nice to have so many people say they're in my corner. ... I've got plenty to do to keep me busy." Conway Selectman Mark Hounsell praised Dickinson for his community service.For much of my life, indeed the last 40 years, Crow Dickinson has always been an elected servant of our community," he said. "Crow and I go way back. When I was in the State Senate 20 years ago, I chaired a committee on resources and environment at a time when Crow chaired the similar committee in the House. He and I accomplished a great deal at that time, and I must admit I have a real sense of sadness over his not being re-elected."Yet, Crow does not have to hang his head," Hounsell continued. "Nosirree bob. Crow Dickinson always worked hard for the people. He never hedged on a position and his long tenure in the NH House has been marked with distinction and honor. It will seem strange, unreal, to not have Crow representing us in Concord. Crow has earned all of our respect for his dedication. Crow has earned my respect for 32 years of meritorious service. If I was to venture a guess, I would say that Crow will run again. I wish him all the best.