Letters - July 8, 2010

Really fed up

I am really fed up with our political system. Starting with federal through state, county and city. It is hard to believe what our elected officials tell us. That what they do is best for their constituents. What these officials are doing is bohunk.

My feeling is that our federal and state officials get elected only to fatten their own pockets. Maybe they want to change things when first elected, but are quickly bought off by the lobbyists. There is also too much “good old boy” politics.

I’m not sure what our county problem is. Maybe what is happening is just a power struggle or a lack of intelligence.

Our latest city fiasco is nothing more than “good old boy” politics. Our mayor has just terminated the best fire chief Colfax has had for a number of years. His knowledge of fire fighting has made him well known throughout the United States. This knowledge has also allowed the residents of Colfax to have lower fire insurance premiums by upgrading the department. What happens to our premiums now?

It is my feeling that the termination took place for the purpose of making the position available to the city administrator. I don’t know if funding is to be cut for the administrator position, but it would save the city dollars. If appointed as the new fire chief, the ex-administrator will still have a job. The mayor tells us that all of this is for the best for the residents of Colfax. How sick is this?

Walt Brost,

Colfax

GOP right

Again the Republicans were right, elections make a difference. A few years ago the Dems were complaining that the Rs weren’t listening and they said elections have consequences and they were upset but Rs were right.

The nation should go the way the people vote. The nation said we don’t like the way the Rs are running this country so let’s put in the Ds and see if they can change things. But the Ds don’t seem to change it as part of them feel the same way the Rs do and the rest don’t know how to go around the Rs.

We need senators in there that can change the way the Senate does things and then whatever party is in that’s the way things are done. You can see why there is a Tea Party as the Democrats don’t seem to have guts enough to do what they were elected to do. Change the rules of the new Senate in December. Everyone should back Senator Whitehouse. He has some real good ideas to get the Senate back to work.

Dean G Ickes,

Vancouver,Wash.

Another slight to county citizens?

Isn’t it odd that the county commissioners are having an open public meeting at 2 PM on Monday, July 19, regarding removing the Butte Protection areas? Don’t most productive people work during the middle of the day? This makes it very difficult for interested parties to attend. Oh, but the wind developers and the owners of high ground who already have their signed leases will be there; those who are in it for the dough! Never mind the majority of us who have nothing financial to gain, only the unique and stunning beauty of the Palouse to lose.

Isn’t it also odd that the county planner gave “incorrect information” to me, about the timing for filing my Appeal on the wind energy zoning? Since he deals with the SEPA process so frequently, why would he mislead me? Could it be that his agenda is not to protect all of the citizens, only his chosen few? It might have been a mistake. Maybe the timing of the meeting is also a mistake. You be the judge.

Carolyn Kiesz,

Thornton

Holding the bag

Attention wind turbine lessors:

The hearing examiner for the Lower Snake River Wind Energy Project included the following under the General Conditions of the conditional use permit:

“All conditions imposed herein shall be binding on the ‘Applicant,’ which terms shall include the owner or owners of the property, heirs, assigns and successors” (page 51).

This means—look out for all kinds of liability.

For example, if after five or ten years the utilities are no longer forced to buy wind power at three times the cost of hydro power, then the wind turbines will be obsolete.

In this case, who will be liable for dismantling the wind turbines?

The land owner could very well be the only one left holding the bag.

Another liability concerns lawsuits from nearby residents.

You know that there is an issue with low frequency noise pollution.

You know that Whitman County refuses to outlaw high levels of low frequency noise pollution, (which should tell you something).

You, the lessor, are liable for your land use decision to allow industrial wind turbines on your property.

Because of your decision, your residential neighbors will be harmed.

If things go well, you will rake in the big bucks.

If things go badly, you will be left holding a bag full of lawsuits and losses.

From a business viewpoint, the liability associated with leasing land to a wind power corporation is simply not worth $5,000/year/turbine.

Greed has a way of blinding people from the truth, and the wind power corporations use that to their advantage.

Before you accept reassurances from the smiling corporate crony, remember that First Wind’s CEO is a former Enron executive.

Oakesdale