BRANDON COUNCILMAN MAKES PUBLIC STATEMENT ABOUT SUPERVISOR AND WIND COMPANY BRIBE

Brandon, New York, USA

September 20, 2006

At a regular town board meeting; after the meeting was called to order, the roll call and Pledge of Allegiance, Councilman Jay Ulrich opened the meeting with a statement.

It was very emotional. The crowd of near 100 people listened with intensity. Jay was commended more than once for his courage. Devastating to those of us who realize how invaluable Councilman Ulrich is to the Town of Brandon.

The public statement was an accounting of a conversation between himself and Supervisor, Michael Lawrence which took place on Supervisor Lawrence's front porch on September 6th, 2006.

The statement began by saying that Michael Lawrence had accused Jay of being offered a bribe from Noble Environmental Power and accepting it. Jay asked Michael to call the State Police and report it. Michael declined and went on to say that he too had been offered a bribe from Noble Environmental Power.

Jays concerns included the loss of friendship, devastation to his family, and loss of integrity in the Town of Brandon and an embarrassment to the town and Town Board by Michael. He later expressed that the relationships in the community are "sacred."

Michael responded with an apology to Jay and Noble. Nothing elaborate. Just, " I apologize to you and to Noble."

We all know that these have all diminished at the hands of Noble Environmental Power's invasion of our town which is no longer a community. There was no community Christmas Party last year....an annual tradition as long as I can remember. Their was no community yard sale weekend....there were no community events since this invasion.

At the end of the meeting, I stood up and spoke. I asked how can people say there are no negative impacts of wind farms? One of the most important was just demonstrated in real life, right here at home. Michael and Jay were once very close friends. The things that persons with morals and ethics value more than anything are gone forever in the town of Brandon. A town of 500 people, totally divided.

Anne Britton
Brandon Resident and no longer proud to be.