It is not often I read an editorial piece in The Standard Times and agree with its content completely. On the rare occasions that this occurs, I read it again, and still one more time after that.Usually there is some line in there that makes me shake my head, even when the piece is for the most part in sync with my own opinion.
Today the editorial piece on the Town's election is one of those rare occasions.
You can find the piece on page A4, or online under "Only one election needed in Fairhaven".
In principal, I fully understand the argument for an entirely new election. In reality, as noted by the paper and in at least my mind, the only race affected by the issues at hand with voting is the Board of Health contest.
Yes I realize the issue with some town meeting member votes, yet taking into account the mini-elections at precinct meetings and on the floor of town meeting the morning of, the same doesn't warrant and further time or effort.
To attempt to grab a line Churchill from memory, the new Board of Health election will not be the end, and will not not probably be the beginning of the end, but it will most likely be the end of a very long beginning. It is the only campaign that must be wagged at this point.
Despite my agreement with the editorial, I still had a bit of a chuckle about ignoring the politics in what will be the most driving political aspect of the election leading up to it and after it, no matter when held.
No matter the outcome of that election, no matter the end result of the turbine "solution", no matter what side of the fence you currently stand on or may end up, the simple fact is that not every person in Fairhaven is going to be satisfied. Some a great deal less than others I imagine.
Every elected official is indeed voted into the office to represent all of the people. It is a principle that you hear shouted by those on either side of any issue.
Entwined in that principal is that seldom, if ever do all the people want the same thing.
The only way you can make every person happy is if every person is willing to accept something less than everything they want.
Good luck trying to make that happen on this matter.
Being way behind schedule today, that is where I will end it.
Be safe.
Your never going to satisfy everyone. It never happens. It's going to be a long two months on the campaign trail for the BOH.
ReplyDeleteThe race boils down to the health of the residents around the wind turbines vs the money the town could lose only operating the turbines at certain times.
Falmouth Massachusetts went through a mitigation process over their turbines called WTOP, Falmouth Wind Options Process. That process alone was just under $400,000.00
All the facts have to be on the table which include all the data from the turbines and all the financial records between the town and the contractors. Good luck on that.
All the residents of Fairhaven need to look at the big picture of this project. Look at what the definition of community means : "people with common interests living in a particular location"
Fairhaven is fractured over this project how will it ever get resolved ?
How not to get people into mitigation. Fairhaven gone wild !
DeleteYou have got to read this article in the SouthCoast Advocate today :
Questionnaire on wind turbines raises concerns
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130704/PUB01/307040385/1039
I read the story and thank you very much for the link. You have to wonder just what is going on. You really and truly do.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, anyone out there with an actual questionnaire, I would also be very interested in reading that also.
DeleteI don't recall any town election that was unanimous. Eligible voters vote, and at the end of the day- some are happy and the rest, not so much. The next day comes, and life goes on.
ReplyDeleteWhat made the last election tiresomely controversial was the fact that it wasn't a clean election.
The election redo and the Fairhaven Wind/town/community meeting have to be run cleanly. The facts need to be brought to the table with complete honesty. I don't blame anyone for being suspicious about the integrity of any side. There are good reasons for the lines drawn between them.
Even after a perfectly run election, and a thoroughly spoken meeting not everyone will be happy, but maybe everyone will at least be satisfied.
Fairhaven Massachusetts Wind Turbine Questionnaire
ReplyDeleteOn Monday, July 15, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. the Fairhaven Board of Health intends to hold a hearing at the request of Fairhaven Wind LLC, which exercised its legal right in asking fo...r a hearing with respect to the Board’s June 17, 2013 order to Fairhaven Wind LLC to abate a noise nuisance caused by its wind turbines.
At that hearing the Board intends to take statements from some of the people, like you, who have reported problems or concerns with regard to noise from the turbines.
Please reply to this e-mail no later than Monday, July 8, 2013, 4:00 p.m. whether you would be willing to come before the Board on July 15th to make a statement.
Also please provide answers to the following questions which will help the Board in preparation for the hearing.
●How long have you lived at your current address?
●Who lives there with you?
●M/FAge _____
●M/FAge _____
●M/FAge _____
●M/FAge _____
●M/FAge _____
●Prior to May 2012 did you or anyone in your household suffer the problems that you have reported to the Board of Health? If “yes”, explain:
●Prior to May 2012 would you describe your general attitude toward wind energy as:
●Very favorable
●Somewhat favorable
●Neutral
●Somewhat unfavorable
●Very unfavorable
●If somewhat or very unfavorable, explain why?
●Prior to May 2012 would you describe your attitude toward the placement of wind turbines near the Fairhaven Treatment Plan as:
●Very favorable
●Somewhat favorable
●Neutral
●Somewhat unfavorable
●Very unfavorable
●If somewhat or very unfavorable, explain why?
●Prior to the construction of the wind turbines located near the Fairhaven Treatment Plan had you ever acted to oppose them by:
●Attending a public meeting
●Signing a petition
●Joining any opposition group
●Other (describe):
●Prior to the construction of the wind turbines located near the Fairhaven Treatment Plan had you ever acted to support that project by:
●Attending a public meeting
●Signing a petition
●Joining any opposition group
●Other (describe):
Thank you for your assistance in this matter. If you have any questions regarding this request please call me at the Board office at 508-979-4022 or email BOH@Fairhaven-ma.gov.
Sincerely,
For the Fairhaven Board of Health
Patricia Fowle, Health Agent
This is exactly what gets confusing about this issue. After reading the newspaper article and examining the survey, wanting to believe anyone has a genuine desire to sort the issue out, ease the tension, and put it to bed is extremely difficult.
ReplyDeleteWhy would a truly neutral party (the BOH or Fairhaven Wind, or whoever was involved,) need to sort the group of residents who have filed a complaint? What they might be looking for at the meeting, are the voices of residents who have not been heard, both 'for' and 'against'- the truly silent majority. It would be time consuming (I know,)but maybe the BOH should go door to door and find out what's really happening. Then at the very least, the confidential e-mail addresses would still be confidential.
Who knows what the motives of any of the involved parties are at this point. I have to believe that some people who have not made their voice heard are going to go further under their rock and wait it out.