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Friday, May 30, 2008

Pro wind presenter; Plan member questions


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Posted by The Evansville Observer at 8:45 AM

4 comments:

  1. grumps10:28 AM

    I think this guy had the best solution to our needs and didn't even know it. I almost umped up and shouted, "Let's all go home and turn off eight of our lightbulbs!"

    Probably not what he had in mind.

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  2. Anonymous6:19 PM

    Gary seems like a nice guy just trying to do his job. I talked to him in length on the phone last year and had a case of deja vu when he got out his soapbox Thursday night. I believe he is only trying to do his job, and has got that speech down pat.

    Once again, energy consumption and renewable alternatives were not on the docket. If this ordinance is as flawed and unreasonable as Eco Energy, WPPI and there supporters say, I wonder how much can there be when I hear more about nuclear, oil, strip mines, electric cars, and very very little about the specifics in the proposed ordinance.

    I personally feel all statements off topic should have been nipped in the bud so to speak. The Plan Commission acting President had the responsibility to keep the meeting on topic and focused. I do not envy his position and can play Monday Morning Quarterback all day, but he let the study committee down last night. The committee has answered any and all questions from the word go. They have done EVERYTHING, that was asked of them and more. All of the thousands of pages of information, notebook binding, travel, interviewing, and investigation was done at NO expense to the town. Nights, weekends, daytime, this was and has been a year of commitment for most of the members of the committee. As a collective group they know this information up down and side to side.

    If the Plan Commission still had questions, why didn't they pick up the phone, email, or drop in and ask away. Does the Plan Commission really think that they are more capable than the study committee of drafting this ordinance? Between a Judge, Lawyer, Chief of Police, Legal Professional, and Other Professionals, the Plan Commission thinks they are going to tweak the ordinance.

    Rep. Brett Davis and State of Wisconsin Towns Association Executive Director Rick Staddleman did not raise any red flags after reading the ordinance. To try and make this process as seamless as possible, some members of the study committee went to the extreme and hired a lawyer with there own money. This lawyer was well versed in this specific form of law. They asked him to poke holes in it. They did this to save Union Township time, money and needless hassles. They have bent over backwards for the town, and they are rewarded for there sacrifice by being told that there are "some questions", and that this will have to be gone through "page by page".

    Give me a break, I challenge any one to engage the town of Union Study Committee and find an issue regarding health and safety that they either do not know, or cannot answer within the day. The Plan Commission going through anything the Study Committee presented is like having Brett Favre give Jeff Gordon driving tips. Both are (were) experts in there respective fields, but they need to recognize there place.

    Any questions the Plan Commission may have had before the Public Hearing would have and should have been answered beforehand. They have had multiple opportunities to have questions answered. It almost seemed to me that no matter what, the Plan Commission would not have voted on that ordinance last night in a million years.

    No new credible information was presented last night, it's just another case of needless feet dragging by the Plan Commission.

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  3. grumps7:03 AM

    Matt, the Public Hearing by the Plan Commission is a step required by law in the passing of any ordinance. The Plan Commission is doing everything in ttheir power to make sure the ordinance is as resistant to challenge as they can make it. Give them credit for trying to do their job well. It sounds like the PC agreed with you more than you may think.

    The hurdle for the ordinance isn't the PC. It's getting past the Town Board and then standing up against the court challenges. Given all of the eye rolling going on at the WPPI table Thursday night I'm pretty sure that the cahllenge is drafted and waiting to be filed.

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  4. Anonymous9:51 AM

    Grumps,

    I would agree with you 100% under any other circumstance, but this ordinance has been under review from the plan commission since late January. They have had questions, the study committee came back and answered all of them. Then the town attorney reviewed the ordinance, he had some questions. A special open public meeting was held to answer any and all questions. Ever since last August, at least two members of the Study Committee have been present at all town board and plan commission meetings to answer any and all questions. They have made themselves more than available. If the questions that the plan commission had were in existence before the public hearing, why even have it? I'm not trying to insult the knowledge of any plan commission members, but I bet my next paycheck that the Study Committee is more qualified than anybody else that was in that room to create the ordinance based on health and safety.

    I know the plan commission has some road usage and repair etc. type items to make decisions on for the ordinance, which they should. That is there area of expertise. If they are going to rewrite the health and safety part, I think they are trying to reinvent the wheel.

    There is no such thing as a perfect ordinance in which both sides will shake hands on, and both sides "win". Someone will feel slighted no matter what the outcome.

    The town of Union has been put in a tough spot by the city of Evansville's city owned utility provider. The plan commission has to make a decision that will impact life in the town of Union forever. That is not an issue to rush in on. In no way, shape or form is this rushing in. I have followed this issue too closely. It is time. If the town of Union does not "$#%^ or get off the pot", the moratorium will end and Eco Energy's setbacks will prevail. Government moves slow, it will take a minor miracle for any ordinance to be passed by August. Good luck.

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