Windmill circuses

To the editor:

The DeKalb County Planning and Zoning Committee’s recommendation of Florida Power & Light’s permit request is another act in an ongoing circus starring our county board and county officials. Many board members won’t communicate with anyone holding an opposing opinion, and some even proclaim to see sneers and jeers on faces of the individuals they have labeled as “objectors.”

Elsewhere, county governments act as stewards seeking to protect residents, as evidenced in the Trempealeau County, Wis., wind facility ordinance, where safe setbacks and noise restrictions are in place. County board chairwoman Ruth Tobias’ response to the Trempealeau County ordinance was, “Too bad we didn’t have this information last year when FPL held open houses.” The ordinance was enacted in 2007. Clearly, county board leaders aren’t doing their research.

Patricia Vary has made known that this wind farm is her legacy to the county. Her legacy will be viewed in fields of rusted steel towers with idled turbines and mangled blades, like FPL’s Palm Springs facility, and felt by the economic trickle-down effect of lost jobs and lost productivity far surpassing FPL’s promised tax dollars. Local crop dusters who cannot spray fields where turbines are located will lose jobs. Tenant farmers not only have lost crop acreage, complications of farming around the turbines and access roads, but will also realize lower production yields and potential losses of cannery contracts.

County board members are more worried about liability from Internet advertising on the county’s Web site than from hundreds of people harmed by living too close to these 40-story behemoths. County board leaders cling to a proposal representing a fleeting, failing fad. Wind energy is recognized for what it is not: Not reliable, not economically profitable and not effective in reducing carbon emissions. Instead of a strategic, well-thought vision, many board members are captivated by FPL’s slick marketing, invalid surveys and enticing public relations campaigns.

This wind farm is a disgrace to the heritage of DeKalb County. Support of the wind farm constitutes negligent disregard for the welfare of people who live and work in our community, whose children attend our schools, and who positively contribute to our county. Any county board member voting to support the wind farm brings dishonor to our county, their elected position, and to themselves.
 
Sherry Hellmuth
Afton Township