Three of us are running as a team to change the town council in Meredith: Keitha Capouya for supervisor; Dan Birnbaum and Ron Bailey for members of council. We are endorsed by the Democrats, Conservatives and Meredith Unity Party.
Many issues are at stake: better roads, tight budgeting and open, accountable government.
But the biggest issue of all is the failure of town government to respond to the overwhelming majority who oppose industrial wind turbines. Three months ago, despite petitions signed by 840 voters and taxpayers, the town council approved an ordinance that fails to protect the safety, health and well-being of Meredith residents. It permits 400-foot high turbines to be erected only 1,000 feet from a neighbor’s property line. Worse, it allows a yet-to-be-appointed Wind Energy Review Board to waive even that minimal requirement.
We have pledged to revise this ordinance and ban industrial turbines in Meredith.
Two of our opponents are on record in favor of industrial turbines. Their candidate for supervisor spoke repeatedly in favor of turbines and voted for the wind ordinance despite a conflict of interest; his family farm has signed a lease with a big wind developer. One candidate for council wrote that he favored industrial wind and that he would welcome the resulting cheaper property values that would enable him to afford more land. The third candidate did not take a public stand on this issue, though it tore the town apart for more than a year.
Now that they are running for office, two opposition candidates are suddenly silent on the wind issue or are actually telling voters they are neutral.
Make no mistake. This election is about wind and the future of this beautiful town where I’ve lived for more than 35 years.
Ronald H. Bailey
East Meredith
3 November 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/11/05/election-is-about-wind/