LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted March 11, 2020

Dear Editor:

"I sentence your family to a lifetime without a home smoke detector!"  Sound ridiculous?  How would you feel if government took away smoke detectors, seat belts, or anything else that provides early warning and safety?
 
This would happen if the wind project is constructed in our County.  This project will impact data used by forecasters to issue tornado warnings for DeWitt County, even before a tornado is on the ground.  Early tornado warnings, like smoke detectors, give our families time to seek life-saving shelter.
 
These proposed wind turbines are unique -- exceptionally tall and too close to the Lincoln radar.  The turbines would obscure radar data, increasing the possibility of missed or delayed tornado warnings.  Radar alarms forecasters use to assist in tornado warning decisions would not function in much of our County.
 
Why would any County Board member approve the project going forward, yet some did last year!   That vote would hamper early warning and reduce our margin of safety.  The same County Board members didn't attend any hearings on this critical topic.  None!   It's appalling that sitting Board members would choose to miss all hearings before this important decision.
 
We need citizens on the Board who'll not dismiss public safety, take every opportunity to weigh facts, and responsibly represent County residents, especially on safety matters.  Pull a Republican ballot and vote Prestegaard, Kammeyer, Carter (District A) or Oswald, Myers, Koshinski (District C)..  Their opponents on the Board were nowhere to be seen during recent hearings.  Shameful.
 
Don Waddell
Wapella