To the editor:
“Maine, The Way Life Should Be.” At least I used to believe that. So much so, I moved to Mars Hill 17 years ago and bought a beautiful piece of property located at the north end of Mars Hill mountain. I enjoyed the area so much, I built a new home three years ago with a deck located on the back.
During the spring and summer, after a long day at work, I’d go home and sit on the deck and relax. I enjoyed the beautiful peacefulness and serenity each evening. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to do that for almost a year now. For the last year, I’ve listened to construction equipment from early morning into the evening, sometimes for six days a week. For the last year, I’ve listened to the dynamiting and blasting of the beautiful mountain. I’ve dealt with heavy trucks constantly traveling up and down the road. I now have eight windmills erected beside my property and three located behind it. The closest windmill stands 1,200 feet from my property.
A few years ago when the residents of Mars Hill were informed that windmills were going to be erected on “top” of the mountain, we were informed by the town manager that there was nothing that we could do to stop it because the windmills would be erected on property owned by private landowners. During a recent town meeting I had attended, I overheard a local resident state that he was informed just recently that something could have been done, “but it was too late now.” Residents were also informed that the windmills would be erected on “top” of the mountain. Last I looked, I do not live on “top” of the mountain. So, again, another falsity.
At a recent town meeting, many local residents voiced various concerns regarding the noise that the windmills are currently making. For two hours, the only thing residents heard from the town council chairman and town manager was negative rebuttal. Most of the residents left feeling disappointed and more discouraged than when they’d begun. I was definitely one of them.
So for any town thinking about allowing a company in that wants to invade their town with these windmills, please consider all of the repercussions beforehand. If you care at all about your local residents, especially the ones that will be closely affected by the windmills, don’t do it. If you care at all about the beautiful town that God created, don’t do it. I will guarantee that you will regret it – and then it’ll be too late.
“Maine, The Way Life Should Be” – well, not anymore for me.
Diane Glidden
Mars Hill
