August 21, 2006
Town of Cohocton
Supervisor J. Zigenfus
Jack:
Reference is made to the letter I sent you dated Aug 4/06 asking for a one-on-one talk concerning the proposed industrial wind turbines which has not happen as of today’s date. I wasn’t surprised you did not contact me, but wanted to believe you when you said that you were open to talking with Cohocton voters, for you had, on July 25, 2006 stated in an open letter on page 11 of “The Valley News”, (side by-side coincidently, with your fellow board member, Mr. Wayne Hunt’s “Chicken Little saga” and his apparent cartoon self portrait), said in part: quote.. “First of all I want to say is that I am willing to listen to every resident’s issues or concerns. I have always prided myself in open and honest government for the last 5 years I have been the supervisor”. Although that looked good on paper, it is only creditable if previous actions had reinforced those words by at least acknowledging the concerned correspondence sent to you by various people from the beginning, which could have been done by a simple phone call or e-mail. You and the boards chosen indifference and secrecy, stifled legitimate debate deliberately in my opinion, created and contributed to much of the unnecessary bitter confrontation existing now at board meetings and in print, which could have been largely avoided and is most unfortunate. I expected so much more from a former lawman and all the title depicts, with “justice for all” being a cornerstone of your resume. Mr. Hunt’s flippant comment at a planning board meeting recently describing the industrial turbines as being “An elephant in your living room”, referring to the people most adversely effected, but I doubt if it will directly effect you both living in Atlanta. But this is what the present and future homeowners living in the impact hill areas, with major financial and emotional investments in home and property of years & dreams in the making, know they possibly have waiting for them on a daily basis in the future.
WHY this particular “industrial wind turbine elephant” has to be here and what it could sadly and permanently do is the exactly the reason why you should be welcoming questions and finding out now as much information as possible now before proceeding. It seems no matter how many legitimate and sincere the concerns, objections or suggestions have been by many, many people, the outcome was the same, comments not being properly addressed or largely ignored by you and the boards, certainly not the open and honest government you claim. The uncertainty for people living day by day near areas of the proposed turbines with all the unanswered questions pending aren’t important if they clash with the UPC program going forward, for that in the end is where, I suspect your real priority lies with your continued support for UPC. In doing so, you are saying to the very people most effected by this reality, and whom you represent, you are all expendable to make the proposed project a success. You and the town board do not have my confidence at all at this point of being able to reach an intelligent, fair decision and especially knowing now the background of several board members with UPC. I looked to you from the beginning for good, sound and honest government with unbiased information, confident you would explain and frame the debate intelligently, to be open and impartial but sadly I was proven wrong.
If bad law is written by this board, I’m confident a legal challenge will be forthcoming. History will show that Mr. Hall, Strassberg ll and Trude and others, not the town or planning boards or town supervisor were the true leaders of the industrial turbine debate, shedding a bright light on important unknown facts exposing them one after another for all to see, but falling on the closed eyes and deaf ears of board members and the town supervisor time after time without explanation (Mr. Hunt, your statements at the last board meeting that YOU are perhaps the unquestionable authority on wind power and had done more to learn and know about wind power than anyone in the room only shows your arrogance on the issues involved. I feel very sorry for you if you actually believe your ridiculous statement.) The lack of timely public disclosure, comments and secrecy for industrial wind turbines reflects the true meaning of the silence shown, which is “unusually loud, clear” and unacceptable. The discussion still requires and deserves so much more.
As I wrote in my August 4th letter to you, after you making the comment that the emotional comparison was a similar reaction with people during the school merger debate in 1992 and the commercial wind turbine debate now I couldn’t disagree with you more. Being our “leaders”, why aren’t you presenting the truth and facts to the public? It’s either you won’t or cannot. In vivid contrast, in the school debate, we had extensive interaction by our public & non-public officials alike, encouraging us to ask questions and in return got direct & truthful answers and after due process all qualified voters, if they so chose too, voted, and not the school board, they determined their fate, but not now with town board members, with direct UPC connections, deciding the outcome. Also then, there was no extreme quality of life issues advanced or property devaluation taking place but a benefit that most, if not all taxpayers had, with lower taxes and arguably a better school system with continued home security. I’m sorry, but where is this emotional & financial comparison under your leadership taking place? In fact the opposite is happening.
More time is needed for logical and sensible thought to prevail and a moratorium is needed now more than ever. I have called Cohocton my home for many years. What you do in intelligent leadership decisions concerning introduction of industrial wind turbines will shortly be your responsibility and legacy as well. Chose wisely, as judgment decisions you make will have to be defended in the future, decisions that can could either damage greatly the Cohocton we all know or provide continued security & pride for ALL property & home owners you represent. We all chose to live in the Town Cohocton, not the Town of UPC, which after all is an unknown LLC (limited liability co.) and business venture and its only real interest is their own bottom line and in return offering the town nothing but shameful value in terms of real dollars, a bad business deal with no guarantees, devaluation of property impacted by turbines, adverse quality of life issues, friendships damaged or destroyed and the disfigurement of a irreplaceable landscape for decades to come and all for a spit in the ocean of undependable electricity going somewhere else at our expense. Quite a sickening legacy for any town board to want to identify with and endorse wouldn’t you say? But for UPC, it is just business as usual and on to the next unsuspecting town board with it’s “rosy” sales pitch. Think about it!
But…. Congratulations to the Town of Naples board and the Town Supervisor who recently demonstrated foresight, wisdom and good leadership by voting to prohibit industrial wind turbines development there. Your town & its people are unquestionably the better for it! I certainly hope I can say the same thing about Cohocton’s leaders some day. We shall see . . .
Don Sandford
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