All In

Some days it seems there is absolutely nothing to write about, other days you can flip through the papers and find a dozen things that jump out at you.

The Standard Times has an editorial, along with a "Your view" piece, and a letter, and another letter, and an article.  The Fairhaven Neighborhood News, well pick a page.

One could also take the agenda for the Selectmen's meeting tonight, tape to a fall take ten paces, put on a blind fold and throw three darts, and come up with at least two things.

Then there is tonight's Town Government Study Committee meeting.  The most important thing happening in town at the moment.  You might disagree with that, but that's the way I see it.  Unfortunately for me, even with the realization of the importance, more immediate matters will cause a dilemma as to what to follow tonight.

Anyway ...

As to the S-T editorial, while they may be some who don't appreciate the spin of the headline, can you really better describe what is going on.  Of course if this soap opera actually was being aired, it would be cancelled after a short run.  Who would watch such a show and actually find it believable?

But the editorial is very much on target throughout, and takes dead aim in the last 1/3 of the opinion:

The Board of Health's duty is the public health, and that mission would have been served far better had the meeting been announced with 48 hours' notice (instead of under the guise of "emergency" — what emergency?) The board should be expected to run it with discipline and respect (with police assistance, if necessary) and public participation. 

The entire history of these turbines has been fraught with accusations of secrecy. Shouldn't the board have given that a bit more weight? 

In hindsight, the board should now recognize that a few more minds in the room might have brought them closer to a workable solution. 

As it is, Fairhaven Wind has opted for "let 'em spin." How can they be faulted? The Department of Environmental Protection found the violations only when the wind blows from the northwest and northeast and only in winter, never in July or August. 

With all due respect to those reporting ill effects from the spinning blades, this is giving us a headache, too.

Several people have left comments here, and as published elsewhere questioning the concept of "compromise".  Compromise is a very tricky thing.  It has a tendency to chaff ones moral skin when one feels deep down they are ultimately correct.

So be it.  If people cannot see any benefit to it, then the game now gets played out by a set of procedures and rules that in the end is going to leave one side very disappointed.  Which side?  Well, that isn't going to be decided by you and me, and that is the whole point of compromise.  It is a whole lot better to be involved in the resolution than being told what the resolution will be.

Reality - the B of H now must make a decision on the mitigation plan submitted by the developers.  They have to have a hearing.  It has to be a public hearing and it has to be discussed by the board in open session. 

The board, its individual members, the developers and the public need to understand their roles and their rights, and more importantly those rights that they simply do not have.

We have seen all too much of the lack of "open and transparent" government.  Indeed there is a fair amount of legitimacy, in my opinion, to the claim that the whole turbine process was less than "open and transparent".

Note that I am not saying illegal.  Allegations of violations that may have occurred to the open meeting laws recently aside, the process was conducted according to the law. The problem is perhaps certain steps very well should have been taken beyond the simple legal requirements.  We can debate that forever, it will not change the fact we are where we are.  

But "open and transparent" does not include the concept of anything goes either.  We have gone from one extreme to the other.

I see but one cure left to the headache.  It is one that involves a course of treatment requiring, decisions to be made, appeals to be taken, and judges to decide.  

Compromise is in fact not possible anymore.  In this game of chicken, everyone seems determined to drive right over the cliff.

Prior to June 10th, the foundation of this town was cracking.  The events of June 10th may have been seen by some as an attempt to repair those cracks, but the perceived remedy has only worsened the damage.  what were cracks are now fissures.

Repair isn't possible.

If the B of H in its opinion finds justification for no change in its order after a hearing, so be it.  Let the developer sue.  

If the B of H finds justification for a modified shut down or reduction, so be it. Let the developer and people unsatisfied sue.

Make a decision, do it right, and let the chips fall where they may.  

It is time for everyone to stop with the chest puffing, or the hiding, and make decisions so all the dissatisfied folks can run to the nearest courthouse.  

That is exactly what people continually threaten to do unless they get their way on this issue, and it is a given one side isn't going to get their way, so just get it moving.

File the class action lawsuits. 

File the appeals to decisions.  

There is apparently no other alternative to it.  This is exactly what is being said.  So let's get the decision made and let the pleadings fly.

You want to play an "all in" game. You have one right now.