The Stephenson County Board has finally admitted that the “Property Protection Plan” for residents effected by the wind farm project was a sham. It was stated at the board meeting that this plan was not to protect the residents but to protect the county from the residents. Mr. Mickleson stated a protection plan would hamper future economic development. What development?
Mr. Mickleson stated this plan would have set a precedent for future projects because no other government had one. Is that fact coming from the same research the board used when they stated there were tire-burning facilities in operation only to have local residents discover there was no such thing and that they are banned?
If residents are forced to negotiate with Navitas over this property protection I know they will be hard pressed to pay for legal representation but in view of the way the County Board has acted so far I don’t believe I would want them negotiating on my behalf.
Some of the actions of these public officials have been blatantly hostile and rude to their constituents and their representatives while embracing the companies seeking to prosper from this project.
Anyone who studied this project would know this should not be in an area with so many homes and an airport in close proximity. We know it and they know it but the board is so eager to grasp at any additional revenue it is failing to reasonably access this issue.
Sam Guffrea
Freeport
13 May 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/05/14/county-board-failing-to-represent-residents/