Well quite the rain event yesterday, wasn't ti? I must have missed that forecast.
I was asked the other day to share the Judge's decision on the turbine lawsuit. Hopefully, I figured out how to do that. Here is a link that should get you a .pdf copy of the decision (Turbine Summary Judgment Decision).
If you have any problems opening in let me know and I will try to see what the heck is wrong.
Interesting reading. Whether there is an appeal of the decision remains to be seen. The likelihood of success on an appeal if one is taken is beyond an educated guess given the limited record of the matter I have seen.
Turbines as an issue will not be going away any time soon though. Most probably we will see a proposed change to the zoning by-law(s) governing siting in town. The Planning Board is diligently working toward that end from what one reads in the local press(es).
It would seem to me that while local jurisdictions should certainly have some oversight and say, given the push on the state and federal level on the whole alternate energy matters, there needs to be some universal standard adopted, developed specifically for the siting of the alternate energy projects (i.e. wind and solar).
It is one thing to advocate the need to get off of fossil fuels. It is another to simply make the statements and then tell us well the how and where is up to you.
The federal government has stuck its nose into the issue of siting cell towers, and as such one would certainly think it might warrant an effort to do so with turbines. Whether you like wind power or not, there is no escaping the reality that those turbines are significant more intrusive than a cell tower.
Clean energy is going to come at a price folks, economically and otherwise. The only way to get more clean energy is with more clean energy "production" plants. The one given with electricity is production has to be sited near either existing transmission plants/relays/wires, i.e. interconnection points, or you have to spend a ton of money to put in place the infrastructure to get the electricity from point A where it is produced, to point B where it is needed.
It is a battle for people smarter than me I think.
Topics? Anyone have one. The brain isn't working at the moment, and it is looking like a slow week news wise, at least on the local level. You have something in mind you want to see discussed, let me know.
Running late and out of time this morning, so take care and be safe.
One topic. I would like to know the best approach to compel a community’s fragmented government to comply with some of the spirit of the new open meeting law as well as local policy? I am not expecting the legislature to take any new action in the near future, but I do not follow that arena continuously.
ReplyDeleteI see a policy created by Selectmen in which meeting agendas and minutes are to be posted online. Yet, no implementation to ensure it happens. Boards, committees, and departments slowly start to revert back to their old ways. Agendas are posted after the fact for instance. Elected officers or appointed members have little authority on day to day work.
I see a policy created by Selectmen in which videotaping is requested for all boards and committees. I see that document more as a goal, but then I never see follow up as to how it should be implemented. Are certain committees exempt? I hear town-wide goals being proclaimed by some committees about particular matters, but never seen the meetings or minutes of public meetings, seeking general input, BEFORE, policies are made.
I believe that once a community appropriates money to start implementing the above, it needs to be formally structured with check and balance, and not left to a party to decide to not comply. That becomes the worst that can happen. If we intend to make it available to public, like a product, we need to consistently ensure the product is on hand, timely, so the public has a mere chance to influence the product offered and not be back-ordered…till after the product is too big, too pricey or not the color we all wanted.
Would it be a town bylaw, a current regulation modified, a current body such as Town Clerk, cable advisory, ombudsman, wait for people to retire, flogging committee, more money, new government structure or just not possible? Love to hear any thoughts in this important aspect of government.