It's just a bump in the road folks...we are fighters and as the beasts continue to spin our resolve grows stronger! Get ready Chairman DeTerra you'll be hearing from us!
I under stand the need to attempt encouragement in the face of the election results. Indeed resolve is needed to deal the legitimate issues, and those do in fact exist, relative to the turbines, is essential. I don't expect humility in defeat. Perhaps it is just that my perception of intent behind the statement. If so, it does seem to be a poor choice of words and punctuation.
To characterize last night as a bump in the road however is fatally over optimistic.
To advise the winner to get ready, you will be hearing from us and to punctuate the statement with an exclamation point is to fail to realize the effect such statements have caused.
Mr. Wethington managed to pull in essentially the same number of votes that he did in April. If memory serves me the total was like 10, 15 votes more. Mr. DeTerra pulled in approximately 850 more. Rounding the numbers we are talking percentage wise are 37.4% to 62.6%.
Now I am guessing not every single person who voted in April voted yesterday. But the levels of the votes should provide you with a pretty good indication of the level of support you can gather based on the campaign that was run.
There are certain unwritten rules in politics. They simply weren't followed by some; and, please don't tell me people weren't playing the political game.
Rule No. 1 in the blood sport folks: Never go out of your way to motivate your opposition. Rule No.2: Don't continue to add fuel to the fire when you do. Rule No.3: Too many cooks spoil the soup. Rule No. 4: It is best to let certain sleeping dogs lie. Rule No. 5: It is 95% perception.
That is it for the election today.
There was actually a selectmen's meeting last night. One issue discussed actually piqued my interest more than others (no, I am not saying other issues discussed weren't as important, just not of as much interest at that particular time).
The same involved the issue of cell phone usage. Personal cell phone used for Town business. Volunteer committee work. There are certainly some parallels that can be drawn as to who gets a cell phone or compensation. there are unfortunately distinctions.
I for one will be watching the selectmen position on this with continued interested.
Truth be told, I have a great deal of sympathy for the individual. I know the minutes I rack up. Not to mention costs for paper, toner, travel, and other incidentals.
This is a goose and gander problem and solution. That's all I will say on it.
The closed elementary schools were also discussed. The committee previously formed raised some valid issues. We are well behind the eight ball on this one. Indeed about 18 months behind it.
Not to worry, it seems we will now be reacting.
Enough for today.
Be safe.
My vote kept coming back to the following questions, Dawn.
ReplyDelete1.Does anybody look at the percentage of time that the turbines have been found out of compliance?
2.How did these people know the windmills were going to make them sick before they went up?
3.Why the unruly behavior and hatchet jobs and on every elected official WW disagrees with?
Honestly, I'd be first in line to take them down if I truly believed the turbines made people sick, instead of self fulfilling prophesy. And those poor people have chosen the worst mouthpieces in CD, KP, JM, and DD to make their points. Honey or Vinegar?
But I am appreciative that your tactics stirred enough people to actually get out and vote. Congratulations on that.
".......they just got more to the polls." That is known as the majority, and it is not to be minimized. It is what our government, on all levels, is based. There is a real disconnect exhibited when the democratic process and the will of the majority, is disregarded in importance.
ReplyDeleteEven more than that though, it is a major insult to the majority of Fairhaven to call them gullible, uncaring liars. Supporters will not be gained by disrespecting those who vote differently from your position. Do you want solutions? Are you willing to work towards results? Because, today, is the perfect day for both groups to get together and work it out. (same would be said if Wethington had won)
Start now.
If I were windwise, I'd be regrouping to see where the message went wrong, certainly not continuing the same failed methods. It's not a matter of 'they JUST got more to vote,' it's the fact that the tactics used by windwise blew up in their faces. Lines drawn in the sand, compassion vs. liars, slanderous statements, noise complaints when turbines weren't spinning, gossip perpetuated as fact, pillows brought to town hall, uncivil obstruction at town meetings--------these theatrics painted the message, and messenger. But it wasn't the majority voter who committed these errors. Choosing to not learn from mistakes is foolish, because, as we can clearly see, the majority learned from their mistakes, and came out to vote overwhelmingly against your candidate.
When, and if, accepted scientific data catches up to your beliefs, it will be to windwise's credit. However, that day is not today, and that may prove to be a good thing, IF both sides truly want to alleviate legitimate complaints and mend the rifts in Fairhaven. While this election has been spinning around the turbines and the respective groups, all of us have experienced the wounding. But future science will not heal us, today's communication and compromise will.
Some may feel that the BOH win is a checkmate, or a devastation, but I see an opportunity for healing if both sides come together and work towards a common goal instead of further division. This will require toning down the rhetoric, stopping the disruptions, being honest, and finding where commonality resides instead of further division. No one group in this town can claim ownership of compassion, and if you can accept at least that, there is room for dialogue. But frankly, the inablity to respect, and understand, the message of the majority vote has taken my hopefulness down a few notches. If majority rule doesn't mean much, and winning doesn't bring the message home, it might be wise to consider who and what actually lost this election for Wethington, as those epiphanies will create a path to not follow in the future.
*Numbers don't lie*
Congratulations to the clear winner who won because he got the most votes.
DeleteThat in no way changes the fact that some people are being negatively affected by the operation of the turbines. Whether or not they are being represented by the most eloquent spokespeople is irrelevant. Their pain exists. Let's start there.
I was not talking about eloquence, quite the opposite. I'm talking about hateful speech that did the damage. Having a silver tongue, which we all know DeTerra does NOT possess, can gather votes, but divisive language will gather more, just not favorably.
ReplyDeleteHateful speech is never irrelevant. Never.
And it was windwise (in context of this election, by virtue of their own actions) that hurt the people they were representing.
Windwise has been invited to join FOFW for a meeting. Why not accept the invite? Because right now at this moment, you really don't have anything more to lose, which inherently carries the possibility of what can be gained.
*Can you hear me now?*
Why in the world would a member of windwise, or any honestly affected neighbor of the turbines attend a meeting? To be chastised? Too many FOFW have made it clear that these people are imagining their symptoms.
DeleteFOFW have made their stance clear. It's probably best for windwise to go it on their own.
Unfortunately, I don't think the tone of your question sounds like there's any intention of working this out any other way.
Though I support clean energy, I'm not FOFW, I can't make that meeting happen, so there is no 'tone' to my words. It is a suggestion from a resident not known to any movers and shakers, who just wants the ugliness to stop. Seems a meeting between the two most vocal groups would be a logical first step IF people are sincere about wanting solutions.
DeleteYour concerns about meeting hostility are projected fears as there is no way to prove what hasn't happened. But, if windwise is as brave and determined as they say they are, how is it they are afraid of a meeting?
My last point is that windwise doesn't really "go alone." It will go (as it already has, eight times now?) with legal representation against the town------a costly venture that should be avoided. Is it okay to make every resident collateral damage to lawsuits because a meeting was too much to ask of windwise? Really??
What a shame.
*Nothing ventured, nothing gained*
A meeting between Windwise and FOFW is not what's going to make peace in this town. If I say red is red, and you say red is blue, then no meeting between the two of us is going to change anything. FOFW does not believe anyone is affected by the turbines. What good is a meeting going to do?
DeleteWindwise's issue doesn't concern FOFW.
Windwise needs to direct their matter to the BOH. No one else.
I can't help but think that had someone talked to the 'silent' neighbors, they would have had a better understanding of the situation, and at least those affected would have felt 'heard.' I may be blasted for saying that but they say a little courtesy goes a long way.
It never should have gone as far as it has. It's disappointing to hear so many people concerned more about the money than their neighbors.
So! we are still waiting for proof of illness ( generated by the turbines) by a doctor of any individual who lives near them.If so the lawsuits would already be in process.The real estate market is up ,but the market is good for buyers because the prices are still depressed ,no matter were you live in Fairhaven.On the cell phone issue,there is much more personnel use of phones issued by the town than personnel use of phones for town business. The selectman ,i think won't open this can of worms.
ReplyDeleteWindwise knows that their suffering people can not be publicized, because of the HIPPA laws involved. You just have to take their word for it. Similarly, they know that the 400 complaints cannot be publicisized either. If that were the case, then we could all see who legitimately filed complaints, and who filed bogus complaints. Its unfortunate, because if 400 complaints came from just 50 households (there are 4,000 in town), and some of those are on West Island, and Main Street, and Green Street... then it would PROVE that there are people skewing the truth about the illnesses. Those people would be outed. What would happen then, if these compassionate caring people were publicly outed filing false complaints against the turbines. That would be a horror show more than any votes cast ever could be. They know, their secrets are safe from prying eyes under the laws. That is why they will be back. The people of Fairhaven ARE NOT STUPID, although you would think some people assume so. I think that the people who are legitimately suffering should start looking for some new champions. The ones they have in the media are failing them. Lastly, one of their own, on video, stated, get them in compliance and keep them that way.... Is that not what is being done? If there were legitimate concern for all those suffering, it wouldn't be JUST the people with the "symptoms", it would be all taxpayers in town who struggle to pay their bills. Those who cant sleep at night because their street is so busy, or because the noise of the harbor keeps them up at night. Those who lie awake at night, deciding which bill they can afford to pay and which ones they cant, and how they can make ends meet. If it were not such a single source, small group of people, most of which the largest voices are of people NOT affected by the turbines, perhaps things would be different today. The long and short of it is, people chose to have some figureheads bring their cause out. Those figureheads have come to become much less famous than they are now infamous. That whole group needs to really look at who is speaking and re think their spokespeople. The current ones are not winning them votes or favor with the rest of the town. It was telling to me, that in the areas directly in the Turbines foot print, there was still a 2-1 margin of votes. People know...
ReplyDeleteI would like to reply that I was for the turbines, heck I still am. I am all about alternative energy. I started having problems after the turbines came on line, I left town to see if I would feel any different. I did my symptoms faded. Will my doctor swear my symptoms are from the turbines?? Probably not , but it doesn't make it go away. I feel the only thing the town did wrong was poorly siting the turbines smack dab in a densely populated residential neighborhood . Is there any good location for them in this town?? I really don't know. I would not want to put this burden on any other neighborhood in town. Please just know that there are truly people in this town suffering from the turbines. Just like some people are prone to sea sickness and car sickness , some have issues with the turbines and some do not. Sometimes it only one person out of a household. Please do not disregard someone who doesn't feel we'll, ask them about it , hear what they say. We are all neighbors in this beautiful town we all love so dearly. I hope we can begin to heal.
DeleteAn unfortunate consequence of volunteering in a club or on a committee is that often it entails personal expense. After volunteering at the elementary school for many years, I created a motto, "Volunteering isn't free. It costs (the volunteer) money." Even at minimum involvement there will be something you need or feel compelled to 'contribute' for the good of the group. Does that mean that active dedicated volunteers should have a personal financial expense? I appreciate the argument about, where do you draw the line? Who gets a phone and who doesn't? But where's that money supposed to come from? It ought to be an interesting budget season, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteWe are in the communication age ,most people have some type of device to call,take photos,beep,etc.All of these have costs associated with them,most of them are not used to there full potential.Many minutes an data are recycled unused to the providers.All the rest of the users are spending to much time on the networks.The providers supply us with usage an the departments head can filter out the calls unrelated to town business. They can charge the user for the calls,but will they even bother to check...
ReplyDeleteWe're also in a bureaucratic age where a single phone call doesn't provide one with the authorization they need to proceed. We're in a poor economic age where one clerk at the end of the line can't efficiently serve the masses, whose minutes are dissolving on 'hold.'
ReplyDelete