It didn't take long for that ad by Jefferson County wind power opponents to catch the attention of the states top law enforcer.
The ad singled out State Sen. Darrel Aubertine as among the elected officials in Jefferson County who may have run afoul of ethics and other laws with their wind power contracts and votes to push for a local wind farm.
Now, the Watertown Daily Times is reporting that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is looking for answers about what our elected officials are doing.
Supervisor Thomas K. Rienbeck said Friday that the town lawyer and the attorney general's office asked the town to disclose possible conflicts of interest, the paper reported.
Cuomo's office has been inundated with complaints about corruption involving government officials and wind power projects across the state, and is investigating several companies, according to a recent front page story in the New York Times.
The probe has already resulted in the creation of a groundbreaking Wind Industry Code of Ethics. But as the Watertown paper points out, none of the companies involved in the Cape Vincent project have signed on to the AGs code.
According to the paper, at least five town officials have contracts with the wind power companies. Last fall, Aubertine was forced to defend his efforts to gain approval for the project, which at one point he said could result in as many as 10 turbines, then it was 1, being built on land he owns.
So far, Aubertine has refused act as the public expects of an elected official in this matter and let the sunshine on his dealings and to disclose details of his contracts with the wind companies, and his own estimates of the contracts value have varied wildly.
The AGs investigatipon offers hope of transparency and accountability for concerned local residents and voters.
"A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson
17 comments:
I'm wondering what's taken so long. Our local electeds are up to their necks in wind conflicts, led by Mr. "One of Us" Darrel Aubertine.
Ten towers. No, one. No, four. $100,000. $10.000.
So many stories, so little truth.
New code they must follow stated this way in the NY Times piece "By agreeing to follow the code of conduct, the companies, Noble Environmental Power and First Wind, agreed not to hire or give gifts to town officials responsible for approving wind power projects. etc. etc. etc.
Okay, fine and dandy: but what did any of them do prior to this code do to get their contracts - or is that what is under investigation?
I presume it is... if an elected official or relative is/was involved, then what? Slap on the wrist and "don't do it again, and btw: we have a code now?"
If so, that horse will be long gone and the barn door? It will not matter whether it's open or not.
I don't know what to think about all this. I'm in favor of wind power and I believe the anti's have gone crazy in their opposition to the windmills. It's a little funny to see all the opposition to "seeing" these things by the elite of Cape Vincent, then look across to Wolfe Island and see dozens already in place. So what if Darrell and some town people make some money off windmills? I've heard all the arguments. One lady said it would stop her husband's heart, while another said it would make her kid's ADD worse. After listening to just so many fools, I say build them on every street corner. I just get tired of hearing from idiots. Let Darrell make a million bucks. And all them other town council people too, I wish them well. Let them build the towers with stimulus money so it doesn't cost them a dime. Like green cars and global warming, I'm tired of the subject.
Sure anon. darrel should get rich on wind, if he has any to sell and space to build.
What he shouldn't do is use his public office to make that happen.
That's what the flap's been all about:
Five town officials and a state Senator who just happen to have contracts to build wind turbines and just happen to be the ones who make the decisions about where, when and how they are built.
If it's all on the up-and-up, Darrel should show us his contracts (or at least show them to the AG).
This is to 5:22 you are right you don’t know what to think, but you keep sharing “your opinion”. You have labeled those against wind power anti’s did you get that directly from Tom Rienbeck or did you just take the anti's label from the article in today’s paper? Who exactly are these "elite" against wind power? Comments like these are used to discredit the opposition when you do not have facts to support “your opinions” People holding political office should not use that office to profit at the expense of others. And last but not least where do you think the stimulus money is coming from the moon? Ultimately it will cost us all.
No, no, no. I'll correct you fools one at a time. First off, the stimulus is like the bucks we use to finance schools here in NY. Think of it the same way. For decades Superintendents have told us that even if we really didn't need something, not to worry. All the money was comming from somewhere else. Thusly, get it now whether you need it or not. Therefore, use stimulus money to get Darrell his windmills. He's a nice guy, and it won't cost anyone anything. It's all the same priciple.
The experts who taught me that wind towers give people heart attacks and Attention Deficit Disorder were radio guests on Jim Levin's radio shows. They were on more than once. I am very good at seperating bs from truth, and these people were no doubt telling the truth. Reporting from scientific research carefully crafted by people who smoked the same dope they did, they proved that hearts will stop, ADD/ADDHSDDT will worsen, breasts will shrink, and older men will become even more enamored with younger women. All becuase of the dreaded WIND TOWER. THIS is the REAL reason the elite is fighting the towers, as elite women are scientifically proven to be more challenged in the mammary department. Especially ones involved with publishing.
I say throw caution to the wind. Build them on ever square meter possible, then use the money for planetariums in every classroom. Perhaps even a small jetliner for administrators to use for conferences and begging junkets. Kinda like the auto companies.
Let's review:
Darrel hired his sister.
He forgot about the ethics law he voted for.
Darrel saved the Fulton Hospital.
Only during campaign time.
Darrel put out a press release saying the Fulton and Oswego hospitals were merging.
Oswego hospital knew nothing about a merger.
Darrel got offered the top job at NYPA by the governor.
The governor must have forgotten.
Darrel has a wind contract for $100,000. Make that $10,000.
Darrel was against ATV riders.
Until the voting "yahoos" got stirred.
Darrel is one of us. We all got a job offer from the governor.
Darrel didn't put in the right paperwork to get bills passed. It was the fault of the GOP.
Darrel saved the grapes.
Now we can all drink wine, get drunk and believe his next tale.
It's all going to catch up to Darrel, Darrel and Darrel aka Darrel, Drew & Courteney
Well put, 10:46. How soon we forget...
It is amazing that anybody would still consider wind farms to be a viable option for power. When one considers all of the negative aspects, any positive effect is negated.
The list of problems continue to grow:
flicker effect
noise
harm to birds and bats
visual blight on the horizon
deaths caused by blade sling (ice)
ADD and multiple other behavior problem found in adolescents
FAIS - farm animal infertility syndrome
Wind power is not the WAY! Thank goodness for groups like CROH!
The Watertown Times is writing about ethics? You're kidding, right? What could they possibly know about that? You mean that they know how OTHER people should have ethics? Uh huh.
Let's see: A State Senator is aledgedly pushing legislation that might benefit Wind Power, and he MAY be in line for some towers on his property.
vs
A State Senator, sits on the Senate Agriculture committee, pushing legislation for farmers, and he MAY have cattle on his Farm . . .
How is it that one situation creates an uproar, but the other is deemed good government?
Just wondren.
BTW, you can hardly notice them windmills on Wolf. And I can't HEAR them either, Warren.
10:46---
You forgot Darrell is still working on opeing up the Salmon River so Justin W. and his granddad can go fishing!
hardly see them on wolf ? what are you smokin ?of course you cant hear em they ain turning dahhhhhhhhhh .
This is the best thread I have seen in my lifetime. I love that one about ice getting thrown off the blades of the windspinners. I love all of this. I'm surprised no one has mentioned the neck injuries we're gonna have from people watching them going around and around while they collect unemployment.
That 10:46 was good. Ok, I concede Darrell is a bit wimpee. But he's our wimpee. I still like the guy. I voted for the other guy but I like Darrell. And I like wind spinners.
Darrel 2010: Wimpee like us!
Hey, You forgot the one about the former Senator, who funneled Millions of $ to DANC, then showed up to become their next Director.
NOOOOO conflict there, either.
I have no problem with Wright wanting to get back into govment. Danny, what do you think about this one? I'd be interested in hearing what you thought.
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