Much is at stake in upcoming elections ~ Letter to the editor

Watertown Daily Times | Much is at stake in upcoming elections

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2009


The voters of Jefferson County have a great responsibility on Nov. 3. There are many candidates running this year who would like to give your town away. Yes, give your town away to multibillion-dollar foreign wind corporations to add a few dollars to their budgets. The big plan is to place nearly 500 wind turbines that operate at a 20 percent efficiency throughout the county. Think about this for a minute. This will destroy the county, your town and your property, and thanks to the many lies that the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has spread to the town boards and the landowners, we all are in trouble.

Here is a good example. In the town of Lyme, we have two openings for the town board. Running for these positions are Eric McDermott, a 2009 High School graduate. Is he ready to deal with the likes of Acciona Energy and BP? Julia Gosier, the outspoken member of Voters for Wind, whose agenda is to give the town of Lyme, known as the Golden Crescent, to British Petroleum. What would this do to our quiet nights and beautiful sunsets, and property values? She presently has a lawsuit against Lyme's wind law. Don Bourquin, member of the Planning Board, has a conflict of interest with his family and wind contracts. Ed DeMattia, a common-sense retiree from Verizon with an open mind, wants to work for all the people in Lyme, has no conflicts. Anne Harris, member of the Planning Board, who worked many hours with others to develop a good and fair wind law for the town, has no conflicts. The voters of Lyme have a clear choice. All the voters of Jefferson County should know whom they are voting for, and what they stand for. Call them and ask the hard questions. There is very much at stake here. Just look to Wolfe Island, add another 400, 450-foot wind turbines, and visualize what your town would look like. Would you buy a $30,000 car that gets six MPG? Voters, get out to vote and vote responsibly.

Steve Rutigliano

Three Mile Bay