Regarding Melancthon Deputy Mayor’s Letter to the Editor (April 15):

I am disappointed by Deputy Mayor’s misleading letter to the press criticizing Bart Malloy’s article in the Orangeville Citizen, which commented on Melancthon Council’s untimely Feb. 9, 2010 letter to Jim Bradley, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding wind turbines.

Mr. Malloy obviously takes no issue with the content of the letter “suggesting a moratorium on wind turbines” as was stated by Deputy Mayor Hill (Mr. Hill wrote, “It is surprising that Mr. Malloy...would be critical of action taken to potentially protect the quality of life and financial well being of the people”), but rather Mr. Malloy clearly commented that “issuing a moratorium now is too late.” It is unmistakable that Mr. Malloy feels, as hundreds of Melancthon residents do, that this meagre protest by council should have been made tenfold and many years ago!

Regarding Deputy Mayor Hill’s comments that Melancthon Councillors were “pioneers” in the field of wind turbines in Ontario”: the idea that our Councillors were hacking and sweating their way through some unknown forest of turbines, searching for a better way, is a bit laughable. All they had to do was hit the ‘on switch’ on their personal computers … wind turbines are not new.

Turbines have been in place for years in Europe, and with a click of ‘Google’ anyone can easily accessed reams of information on the health hazards experienced, the loss in real estate values, the increase in hydro costs, and the extensive setbacks that the Europeans have put in place to protect their citizens. Setbacks of 1,660 metres from human dwellings can be found in Europe ... nowhere close to Melancthon’s Phase 1 setbacks of 350 metres. Even a minimal amount of research by Melancthon’s planner and Councillors on precedents set in countries with experience using turbines could have made all the difference to protect the health and real estate of the residents of Ontario at a time when Melancthon Council had the power to do so. Instead, the setbacks set by Canadian Hydro were accepted, to the benefit of Canadian Hydro.

It should also be noted, that even now, what Council has done is written one letter that merely states “we strongly suggest that the Province of Ontario issue a moratorium on future wind power development”. The letter could have gone to a plethora of Ministers including health, environment and environment just to start. Ministers can be met in person.

A great deal of lobbying by Melancthon Council, and all Ontario municipalities on behalf of their residents, will need to be done to undo the mistakes of the past. Leaving the decisions up to the OMB is anything but proactive. They too agreed to Canadian Hydro’s 350- metre setback, and later backtracked to a mere 550- metre setback. The OMB may also agree to a 2400 acre open-pit mine if Melancthon does not do the ground work to prove that prime agricultural and pure source water land is not the place to put it. Currently, the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) is being privately funded by hard-working citizens to do this vital work.

The opportunity for our Municipality to set healthy precedents for turbines has slipped beneath the umbrella of the Green Energy Act. Now Council and citizens will have to fight to regain the opportunity to do what is right for their townships for the future.

It is unfortunate that Deputy Mayor Hill would take a shot at Mr. Malloy’s interest in running for Melancthon Council this fall. Mr. Malloy is one of very few who have stepped up to the plate and he should be commended for doing so.

Mr. Hill, who has served Council for many years, is also to be commended for throwing his hat into the ring in a bid to run for Mayor of Melancthon. Like many Dufferin Councillors, Mr. Hill runs on a bill of “years of experience”. The voters will have to review the track record of every councilor running for reelection and decide if it is an experience they want to repeat.

I regret that the situation is such in Melancthon, that there is a lot of support for Mr. Malloy’s letter. Melancthon residents have been crying for help with the turbines for years, and now, when the Township coffers are threatened by a loss of tax revenue, Council lifts a pen to write a single letter to a single Minister. As Mr. Malloy said: “Too little too late”.

Marni Walsh

Melancthon