Cape challengers have hidden agenda

Urban Hirschey, John Byrne and Brooks Bragdon are candidates for influential Cape Vincent town offices with transparency and "people first" as prominent campaign slogans and have criticized incumbents for conflicts of interest and secrecy. They are generally opposed to wind farms, and their election could well preclude wind energy development here as happened in the town of Lyme because of bias in town board members.

Byrne was a main organizer of a July 2009 public presentation sponsored by "concerned citizens" at Thousand Islands High School billed as "Life in a Wind Farm." However, it became obvious that the three speakers were not random but rather carefully selected anti-wind extremists. That event was effectively intentional deceit and misrepresentation by Byrne and associates.

In addition, Byrne and Bragdon own real estate, the value of which could be perceived by them as subject to negative effect from wind turbines. Conflict? Oh no.

Mr. Hirschey has said he is not opposed to wind turbines but wants them "spread out." Given that restricted regulations in Lyme caused developer BP to declare they would pull out of that project, is there a possible hidden agenda for Cape Vincent? Transparency?

To the slogan "people first," the circumstances tend to beg the question of whether it refers to all the people or just their people.

The Australia Institute, an independent think tank with no stake, concluded in the study "Wind Farms: The Facts and the Fallacies (2006)" that "the evidence indicates that almost all of the claims made by anti-wind groups lack substance."

That study did not mention human health effects. A telephone inquiry to a New York State Health person generated a brief reply that they do not have formal information or policies, but so far their view of wind opponents is that "they're grasping at straws."

I would hope that there still is a majority with the objectivity, integrity and ability to distinguish between fact and cultist fiction and elect people who will represent all of the town's interests rather than selected minorities.

Thomas Jolliff

Cape Vincent