June 18th - What I learned

Tonight's meeting was very informative. Although I have my doubts about whether any of the information discussed will find it's way to the appropriate decision makers, I am glad I attended as I learned several things. I learned that my complaints did not make it to the MOE, even though both the municipality and Kruger has stated to me that my complaints were forwarded, and even though I sent a request for elevation, and even though I am quite sure I also sent my complaint to the MOE (apparantly I sent it to the wrong branch). I learned that tonight's meeting was not meant to be a formal record...after speaking to the organizers afterwards, I was told that they did not take notes meant for formal submission, it was only an information session and that all comments and suggestions, ideas need to be submitted as indicated on the last slide. I learned that the setbacks from property lines do in fact make no sense from a farmer's point of view as it means they have to split up their property instead of having the turbines at the edges - that makes no sense even to me...where is the common sense in this thing? Probably the most important moment for me tonight was when I was speaking to a local farmer who lives near me (I won't name him because I did not get his permission to), he has no problems with the turbines on his property and was surprised that we are having any difficulties...the moment that got me though was when he was explaining all that he had witnessed over his decades of farming, and all that they put up with and Never, never in his life was he compensated like this. I believe his words were: this is the least obtrusive thing and it pays the highest dividends, there is more money being made from those turbines than one could hope to make per acre on the farm. My first thought and question to him was "doesn't that make you wonder why?" It sure made me wonder, why would the wind energy companies pay so much money to bring in their turbines? Could it be that they expect problems with health and hope that the money will keep people from complaining? I do not know, but what I do know is that no amount of money would have been enough to keep us from noticing the noise, and health affects we are feeling from the turbines. To those who are having them put up around their homes, I caution you, and I truly hope that you and your families are the lucky ones who are unaffected by them. Thank you so much to all of you who came to tonight's meeting with open minds and hearts. It was good to hear both sides being well presented by most in attendance. Nikki