Iberdrola discloses municipal officers it is paying

HAMMOND — Iberdrola Renewables Inc., the wind company developing the Stone Church Wind Farm Project, has released a list of municipal officers and their relatives the company is paying to use their property.

The four people named in the public notice are Hammond Town Councilman James C. Pitcher; John Mitchell, whose wife, Ann, was Hammond town clerk from 1988 to 2005; Hammond Planning Board member Steven S. Demick; and town of Oswegatchie Councilman Kenneth A. Wilson.

The public notice was in compliance with state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo's Wind Energy Ethics Code, which Iberdrola signed July 29. The voluntary code calls on developers to disclose financial relationships with town officials or their relatives, release written property agreements and establish ethics training for employees.

Under the code, developers are not allowed to hire local officials, give gifts worth more than $10 in one year or pay for an official's or municipality's legal fees related to a law enforcement investigation. Violation of the code could lead to civil penalties of $50,000 for the first violation and $100,000 for subsequent violations.

Iberdrola's public notice, which appeared on Page 5 in Wednesday's issue of The Ogdensburg Journal, disclosed:

■ James Pitcher: an option and lease agreement signed Aug. 26, 2008, will pay Mr. Pitcher between $60,000 and $100,000.

■ John Mitchell: an option and lease agreement signed Oct. 7, 2008, will pay Mr. Mitchell between $20,000 and $60,000.

■ Steven Demick: an option and lease agreement signed Aug. 26, 2008, will pay Mr. Demick between $20,000 and $60,000.

■ Kenneth Wilson: an option and lease agreement signed June 10, 2004, will pay Mr. Wilson less than $5,000.

One name absent from the list, though he has recused himself from participating in wind energy issues as a member of the Hammond Town Board, is Russell Stewart. Mr. Stewart is not seeking re-election.

Several phone calls and e-mails to Iberdrola were not returned.

While the public notice listed Mr. Wilson as a Hammond town councilman, he in fact is a member of the Oswegatchie Town Council. He has a Hammond address, which may have led to the confusion.

"What's the big deal?" Mr. Wilson asked when contacted Thursday. "These things are coming and you're involved. I have nothing to hide and no intention of recusing myself from voting, unless there's a legal issue, at which time I would seek advice from our legal counsel."

Mr. Wilson said he was approached by Iberdrola in 2004 and expressed interest in hosting a test tower.

He said that for the past five years, he has received $500 a year, for a total of $2,500.

"A carbon-fiber tower, just like the one that went up on the Pitcher farm, was planned for my property, but was damaged," Mr. Wilson said, noting that despite the fact the MED tower was never erected on his property, Iberdrola has continued paying the $500 every year.

"They've never been in contact with me since," he said, "But the money keeps coming."

Mr. Wilson said he's in the sixth year of a 10-year contract.

Mr. Pitcher did not return a phone call Thursday.