Will Charlestown be the first in the US
By Will Collette
With the help of the Westerly Sun, the Charlestown Planning Commission is already laying the propaganda groundwork to support its proposed total ban on wind energy – regardless of size, use, type or location. That includes residential wind generators, despite promises from Council members and the Planning Commission that the town will quickly have a residential wind energy ordinance.
The total ban wind energy in Charlestown.is on the Town Council agenda for the Monday, September 12 meeting as proposed Ordinance 341. And the Council may – most likely WILL - vote on its adoption.
Almost everyone in Charlestown
You should listen to Charlestown Planning Commissar Ruth Platner on the Clerkbase video for the September 1 Planning Commission meeting. Listen to Platner talk about her concerns that some small wind (not gas) generators – the type a homeowner might want to install – may be unacceptably noisy.
Despite pleas from Town Council President (and CCA Secretary) Tom Gentz that the Planning Commission keep its promise to quickly produce an ordinance to allow homeowners to install home wind generators, Platner was openly dismissive of Gentz’ sense of urgency.
 |
| You CAN'T have this |
It sounds like the prophecy Councilor Gregg Avedisian made at last month’s Council meeting will come true – Avedisian challenged Platner’s promise that the home turbine ordinance would be done quickly by saying that he doubted if such an ordinance would be produced by the Planning Commission in six years.
But we may not have to wait that long. All it really takes is electoral change in November 2012. Problem solved if voters remove the Charlestown Citizens Alliance Council members Tom Gentz and Dan Slattery, their ally Lisa DiBello and the two CCA stalwarts on the Planning Commission who are up for re-election – none other than Commissar Ruth Platner and her sidekick Linda Fabre.
In the meantime, if you want to speak up for a sane town policy on alternative energy, you should come to Monday’s Council meeting AND you should e-mail your comments to the Council.
To submit your written comments on Ordinance 341, you should send them to Town Clerk Amy Rose Weinreich first, and then to the individual Council members:
 |
| You CAN have this |
Thomas B. Gentz, President – he voted YES for the ban on first reading
401-527-7181
Gregory J. Avedisian– he voted NO on the ban on first reading
401-212-0078
Lisa A. DiBello - she voted YES on the ban on first reading
401-213-6729
Marjorie F. Frank - she voted NO on the ban on first reading
401-364-6645
Daniel J. Slattery, Vice President - he voted YES for the ban on first reading. He also believes the propaganda that wind turbines cause health effects (wonder how he feels about gas generators?)
401-213-6182
