SOS did a public service with survey showing strong Yates opposition to wind project

Editor:

I would like to address Mr. Smith’s scathing response to the survey sent out on behalf of SOS. Mr. Smith’s assertions could not be farther from the truth.

In fact, if the Yates Town Board really wanted the truth, they would have conducted their own survey in what should have been a timelier manner. It would seem to me that the information derived from any survey would be imperative to have prior to our upcoming election.

The survey itself, paid for by SOS and distributed and calculated by Lumsden & McCormick, LLC, received a 34 percent response. That response garnered a 77.9 percent response against the APEX Wind project.

All of the responses are available for review by any interested party. Many residents have repeatedly requested that the town conduct a survey such as what was done by this firm and continue to be told they are working on it. I wanted to know before the election what the constituents want and how the candidates feel about those issues.

At the last Town Board meeting, I personally asked Mr. Belson and Mr. Bradley to help me make my decisions for the upcoming election by stating their direction, commitment and position on pending issues before our town. They both would not commit to any direction as a Town Board member.

I understand the neutral direction of the Town Board. However, as a candidate for office, I would expect that the candidates would have some type of position or direction they would want us to know prior to the election.

I was further told that they would have an insert in the Lake Country Pennysaver stating their position. I have reviewed each publication since without finding a position paper for either of these gentlemen.

Back to Mr. Smith’s comments on the survey, unfortunately there will be some people who will believe his untruthful and no fact based assertions. To those folks, I submit, why are these candidates and board members so reluctant to support the will of the majority of their constituents?

We need to ask ourselves, what’s in it for them. As I travel around our town I question the positioning of Mr. Belson’s signs seeking re-election. If Mr. Belson is not in favor of the APEX Project please explain to me why “Fear Not the Wind” signs and his re-election signs are systematically aligned on almost every road in our town.

I would guess if he is not going to put out any type of position paper in a timely manner then his sign placement speaks for itself and I for one have my answer.

Tanis C. Bolick
Lyndonville