LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted August 21, 2018

Dear Editor:

Over the last several weeks, its become apparent that there has been a shift from the leadership of DeWitt County Residents Against Wind Turbines concern for the “health, safety, and welfare” of DeWitt County citizens, to preaching how non-participating land owners should be compensated by the proposed wind farm.

The repeated theme of compensation has recently been brought up in sworn testimony before the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), radio interviews, letters to the editor, and on the DeWitt County Residents Against Wind Turbines Facebook page. If leadership of this group is truly concerned about the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this County; monetary compensation would NEVER be considered. As someone who works in healthcare, a person’s health and safety is NEVER for sale.

When the current County Board was standing against polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) going into the landfill, negotiating a monetary compromise for the residents’ health was NEVER an option. That same County Board that worked to keep the PCBs out of the landfill, ultimately protecting our water source, is the same County Board that is now looking after the health, safety, and welfare of ALL DeWitt County residents.

Isn’t it interesting how soon a majority of the members of the anti-wind tower group forgot that the current County Board protected us all from this scientifically proven carcinogen? Given their history, do you really think this same County Board would knowingly vote on something that would hurt their family, friends, and fellow residents?  If the anti-wind turbine group is so worried about health and safety of all people in this county, why is it most of them never once showed up to meetings when our water source was threatened? Am I wrong in my assumption that to them wind turbines must be more dangerous than PCBs contaminating drinking water?

Regardless of what most of the anti-wind tower people say, it now appears that it has never been about the health, safety, or welfare of our citizens; it’s all about how much money this group can extort from the wind farm developers. So, the next time you listen to Dewitt County Residents Against Wind Turbines leadership and a few of their followers, you will eventually hear what it all comes down to “compensation, compensation, compensation.”

Logan Redman
Wapella, IL 61777
 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted August 15, 2018

Dear Editor:

I am writing this editorial concerning approval of the three remaining Wind Energy Ordinance changes that are to be considered in a special meeting of the DeWitt County Board on Aug 22, 2018.  The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) studied six changes:  noise limits, require IDNR wildlife recommendations be followed, electromagnetic interference, property line setback, shadow flicker limits, and aircraft detection lighting.  Only the last three were recommended by the ZBA.

I encourage the County Board to approve the last three recommendations, but also to revisit the other three.  During the ZBA hearing, it appeared to me that wording changes to the other three could be made by the Board to make them more legally palatable. 

The County Board should give more consideration to the residents who live near the proposed wind turbine locations but do not receive any compensation for the intrusion on their personal and property rights.  Contrary to the claims of the Wind Company, none of these changes will stop the construction.  Non-participating residents could be compensated if they so desire for a closer placement of the wind turbines to their property.  I encourage all residents of DeWitt County to attend this special meeting and speak your mind.

Terry Husted

Birkbeck, Illinois