Who are THESE GUYS?!?!?
I also attended the public forum at the Sheldon elementary school in Varysburg. The topic was the real prospect of community owned wind farms. The guest speaker was Mr. Tom Golisano, another representative from Perry, and Sheldon councilman Glen Cramer hosted the meeting. The meeting talked about the many reasons to look into constructing our own community wind farms as opposed to corporate owned wind farms.
Thatâ€TMs not why I am writing this letter. An upsetting detail was brought out into the open and should be addressed right away.
Mr. Golisano asked a simple question at that meeting. He asked if any residents and specifically if the town board had investigated the company that has been schmoozing Sheldon for over 3 years. This particular company is Invenergy and based in Chicago.
Not one person raised their hand, not one single person admitted that they had looked into this company that would have control of large portions of land within this town. Invenergyâ€TMs High Sheldon wind project has been sailing right along on Sheldonâ€TMs much sought after wind. This Chicago based company has, until now, easily slid through the many steps that would ultimately give them exactly what they came for and still no one had answered - who the heck are these guys? These huge corporations show up out of the blue, divide us up among each other, toss a few crumbs and it seems town after town is swallowing it up. And letâ€TMs not forget the millions and millions of dollars that will also be leaving our area with “these guys” year after year.
Why is it we give more thought to choosing a gas station for a couple of cents in savings than whom and what these companies are and what they really represent? These companies are dug in with up to 20 year leases!
Iâ€TMd like to make a little suggestion to all the towns in Western New York, start asking some questions!
Spend some time and do this homework, the findings may save us all a lot of future regret. No matter what your feelings are concerning the turbine issues, what you may think you are going to win or lose as far as any land contracts, pilot payments, etc , that doesnâ€TMt matter. If you are at odds with your own town boards get over it and try to work together. These companies need to be looked into, after all the next generations deserve we at least do this much.
Give your town officials some help and participate in the processes. These are some enormous decisions that the people we have elected are caught up with.
Save Sheldon
Cynthia Blair
