Letter: County should revoke wind vote

To the Editor:

On Nov. 16, 2008, Goodhue Wind LLC came to the Goodhue County Board for approval of a “Resolution Acknowledging Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) Status for the Goodhue Wind, LLC.” The item was tabled but re-addressed and enacted Dec. 4.

Within that 2008 resolution of support, many items resolved have changed: Goodhue Wind is no longer an involved corporate entity; small-scale wind became large-scale wind; ownership by a Minnesota LLC composed of Minnesota residents has changed ownership to AWA Goodhue LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mesa Power (business address Dallas), which is owned by T. Boone Pickens (resident of Texas); number of turbines was 39 and then 52, 50, and now 48; and financial benefit accrues to the local owners — there are none.

What’s particularly interesting is the 2008 resolution specifically included development in Belle Creek and Goodhue Townships — not Minneola Township as stated in the resolution. AWA Goodhue plans to site 10 wind turbines in Minneola Township.

How can this resolution be transferrable to Minneola Township or any other townships in Goodhue County?

In September 2012, this 2008 resolution was brought to both the Minneola and Belle Creek town boards. Both agreed this 2008 Resolution needed to be rescinded. Documents from both township boards along with supporting documents were then submitted to the County Board.

There has been some delay on the county’s part due to Attorney Steve Betcher’s need to review the documents and to put together a “detailed report” to bring forward to the board at 9 a.m. Oct. 16, Goodhue County Government Center, Red Wing. The board “will decide whether to act on the matter, take no action, schedule a Committee of the Whole or schedule additional hearings after the discussion at the meeting.”

The County Board needs to make a decision now. The 2008 resolution is 4 years old and nothing about it is the same as what was enacted. If the county is afraid of being sued and not willing to revoke a document that is no longer valid, what purpose does our board serve?

Please plan to attend this very important County Board meeting Oct. 16 and help support the revocation of this invalid document.

Barb Stussy

Zumbrota

Tags: opinion, letters