Naples holds its nose, takes the cash

Naples, N.Y.

The town attorney is reworking an agreement between Naples and First Wind to make it clear that by accepting a cash payment, the town is not endorsing the Cohocton wind farms now under construction.

The Town Board has voted to accept $50,000 in what are called “mitigation funds,” to make up for any detrimental effect the appearance of windmills may have on Naples’ historic landmarks.

Developer First Wind, formerly known as UPC Wind, set aside a total of $200,000 in mitigation funds for communities with historic sites within view of the wind farms going up on Dutch Hill and Lent Hill in Cohocton, just south of Naples. Naples was determined to qualify for $50,000 with the rest going to Cohocton.

The Town Board agreed in April to take the cash, which must be used on a designated historic site. For Naples, the money will pay for a feasibility study for renovating Memorial Town Hall on Route 21.

Some wind farm opponents have objected to the payment.

“We’ve been pressured not to take the money,” acknowledged Supervisor Frank Duserick.

But the Town Board took a pragmatic view.

“If we don’t take the money, it goes to Cohocton,” he added.

Some have questioned the lower amount for Naples, but Duserick said, “We don’t have a say in that. That was decided well before the town became involved. Basically, it’s out of our hands.”

Duserick, Naples Historical Society President Priscilla Crawford and Town Attorney Ed Brockman reviewed the legal agreement for the mitigation funds and decided to rephrase it before returning it to the developer. They want to make it clear that the acceptance of the funds comes with a protest.

“This does not mean the town agrees with the siting of the wind towers,” Duserick said.