The Springwater Preservation Committee

Springwater Preservation Committee

The Sham of it!

On May 15^th the Springwater Town Board held a referendum on the proposed Bishop Wind Farm. The vote was 63% opposed and 37% in favor. They called it a public hearing, but no one was allowed to speak - Sham No. 1. We all know that had the vote gone the other way it would have been considered a resounding victory for wind farm development. However, since that didn’t happen the result apparently meant nothing to the 3 town board members who, on June 6^th, agreed to turn their backs on hundreds of Springwater residents and sell out at least a third of the Town for some unknown price - Sham No. 2.

Mr. Walker stated he would ask the Town Attorney to draft a local law to regulate wind farms before the next meeting, but stated that such regulations would not prevent the proposed wind farm. Thus, Mr. Walker has predetermined that any regulation must be written to accommodate the proposed development. Why bother? That’s like writing a building code to accommodate a building already built - Sham No. 3. To have the Town Attorney, who probably knows little or nothing about wind farms or land use planning write such an ordinance and to do it in a matter of a few weeks, is absurd - Sham No. 4. The role of the Town Attorney should be to review proposed legislation to insure its legality.

Truth of the matter is Mr. Walker’s position is clear. This was a done deal right from the start and full speed ahead no matter whom or how many get hurt in the process.

Finally, after months of debate over a huge and controversial issue it was clear much of the Board was either ignorant or misinformed on such issues as purpose, extent and procedures of a moratorium, the projects tax exemption and payment in lieu of tax agreements and other issues. Not a single specific reason was given by the 3 Town Board members as to why they were in favor of this project. Apparently, they feel no obligation to their constituents to even explain their position - and the shams go on & on & on.

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