Presentation Cohocton Public Hearing Windmill Local Law #2 by Don Sandford

Beginning this past spring with the industrial turbine discussion with the planning & town boards, its indifference and secrecy immediately stifled legitimate debate, deliberately creating and contributing to much of the bitter confrontation existing at the board meetings, when in truth you should have been welcoming and answering questions in a timely manner. But instead, no matter how legitimate, sincere the concerns, objections or suggestion had been, the outcome was always the same, comments and questions not being answered and certainly not a legitimate two way open and fair interaction from the local town government we expected and deserved.

As a result, there exists an uncertain future for people living daily near the proposed impact industrial turbine sites because of all the unanswered questions still pending relating to quality of life issues and property devaluation. A life time of emotional & monetary investment in their homes now means nothing if they clashed with the as now written local law #2 and in doing so you are thereby saying to the people to be most adversely effected, that they all are expendable for your vision of progress and will not be listened to or be an important part of your decision making process. With no credible public comment at open board hearings by the board members or UPC and only by Empire Wind Energy, your attempt to limit our participation and input was rightly challenged.

Local law #2 now proposed is concerned more with promoting UPC success and their bottom profit line and in doing so subjecting the town to a long term commitment of questionable risk and little monetary return. Again in stark contrast, the board provides absolutely no means of lawful recourse in the proposed local law #2 enactment for the many home owners who will be adversely impacted by the industrial turbine’s installation for any significant home or property monetary depreciation caused by industrial turbine placement.

The board’s decision that the “Property Protection Devaluation Bond” was too vague and would not to be considered part of Local Law #2 was weak and disgraceful and left little doubt that your allegiance was with UPC and not the effected homeowners you should be representing without question upfront. There were many other controversial industrial turbine issues that were not addressed in a competent, fair and open manner by the board for our protection and/or benefit and a moratorium is needed now more than ever to provide a complete, objective and independent review. You, the board members are responsible for creating and ultimately sustaining this sad chapter to the Town Cohocton.