Letter: Letter to PUC preceded board meeting

To the Editor:

Thursday morning I received a notification from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that a number of items had been received as “public comment” this past week regarding the AWA Goodhue Wind Project. Within those comments was a letter by Commissioner Richard Samuelson sent Nov. 14, which was two days prior to the Goodhue County Board meeting Nov. 16.

Samuelson stated at the meeting he would write a letter to the PUC regarding his dissent from the 10 rotor diameter setbacks. He should have said he had written that letter to the PUC.

Apparently, he had already made up his mind to distance himself from the County Board before he even came to the meeting.

Earlier I had decided that I really didn’t wish to sling “mud” at Samuelson as he told me face to face he would support the 10 RD setbacks before and after his election to the District 2 seat. What am I to think happened to make him change his tune?

I have tried to remain professional and decent about this AWA Goodhue Wind issue. Are there any legal ramifications about Samuelson sending his letter and signing it as a Goodhue County commissioner rather than a general citizen of Goodhue County.

Personally, I am concerned that he is using his seat inappropriately.

Barbara A. Stussy

Zumbrota

Tags: goodhue county, opinion, letters, wind