I attended Orangeville's public meeting on May 7 to give support to residents who care to save their town from industrial wind turbines. I also wanted to observe the antics of the wind company pushing their way into the lives of residents who will be forever be affected by these monstrous machines. It was interesting to note how the majority of the residents in attendance researched their fact findings about the ill effects wind turbines. Most of these residents were in agreement that solutions for energy technologies can be welcomed for the future, but not 420 foot wind turbines, near their homes which have too many side effects.
The Town Board called it a privilege and not a right to speak, let concerned residents present their fact findings. The wind turbine company was ready in the end, to "wrap up" the final presentation. This even included a resident from the town of Sheldon, my town, who failed to tell Orangeville residents that he too was a benefiting Town Board member. He said he loves the wind turbines. (Not to mention they have made him a very monetary rich man, and the hell with his neighbors who have been sickened by his fortune.)
The wind turbine employees sat together and clapped for one another. They also had the privilege to speak. One such person was the owner of the trucking company making millions from the project. (Is it really true he just built a new home in Florida? Does he have a 420 foot wind turbine next to it?) Anyway, back to the residents who are trying to save their own town. They clapped loudly, too. Especially, for one man, who somehow snuck into the final "wrap up" from somewhere. He said he foresees this future technology as huge dinosaurs that will be left after the wind turbine companies make their money, and move out.
This was not to be overshadowed by the complete final "wrap up" from the wind turbine company's lawyer, from Hodgson Russ, one of Buffalo's largest and most powerful law firms. He spoke on how we live in a democracy in decision making. Really? Wasn't he the same lawyer who had closed sessions with the Sheldon's Town Board and the Wethersfield Town Board, as we residents were made to wait in the parking lot, only to be told the meetings were over? Oh yes, now the new buzz word is he will be "transparent." So he will just "wrap up" the meetings instead.
It is not chicken feed being subsidized by the taxpayer, to these wind turbine companies. It is real money, big money, your money. It is making some neighbors very rich, at the expense of others. For Orangeville, like Sheldon, it is too late to fix a divided town. When a big business such as this comes in, if you don't give them what they want, then your neighbor will forever hate you (oops, can't use that word anymore) because you are the reason he is not a millionaire. On the other hand, you will despise them (I am trying to find a new word for hate) when nearly 100 of these 420 foot monsters cause your property values to go down, you lose sleep from the noise, and the flicker effect sickens you. When an Orangeville resident can get up in front of the podium to say he loves all the red lights blinking at night, every night, in the middle of the country, you know either he has a loose screw, or he will be monetarily benefiting.
To sum this, I have one more taxpayer tidbit, in this time of a so-called "bad" economy. Did you know that the same landowners who can make millions from wind turbines, can put their property in agricultural land trust programs, and be paid by your tax dollar, even though their land is compromised from the 420 foot industrial turbines?
Linda George lives in Sheldon.
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