LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Riga Twp. recall effort fails; nearby community ousts 2 

Credit:  BY MARK REITER, BLADE STAFF WRITER, www.toledoblade.com 3 August 2011 ~~

BLISSFIELD, Mich. – Voters in Ogden Township Tuesday ousted their clerk and supervisor while the supervisor of neighboring Riga Township narrowly survived a recall election.

Ogden Township Supervisor James Goetz, and Clerk Phyllis Gentz, who were targeted in recall campaigns because of leases they signed with wind turbine developers, were voted out of office.

According to Ogden Township Trustee Richard Marks, the unofficial results in the recall of Mr. Goetz were 253-203. Mrs. Gentz lost her bid to stay in office 251-204, he said.

Riga Township Supervisor Jefferee Simon retained his position by 19 votes. According to township Clerk Karlene Goetz, 268 people wanted him recalled and 287 voted no.

The recall campaigns were tied to efforts to develop wind farms in the southeastern Lenawee County townships. About 200 turbines, many nearly 500 feet tall, are contemplated for the townships.

Mr. Simon was accused of using his influence to keep Kevon Martis from being reappointed to the township’s planning commission after Mr. Martis grew suspicious of the wind industry. Mr. Martis, now with an activist group called the Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition Inc., had been the commission’s vice chairman for six years.

The Riga Township board, of which Mr. Simon is a member, approved a zoning ordinance on July 6 that wind developers believe is too restrictive. Wind farm supporters are gathering signatures in hopes of forcing a Nov. 8 vote on the legislation.

Mr. Simon could not be reached Tuesday night.

In Ogden Township, Mr. Goetz and Mrs. Gentz were accused of conflicts of interest because they signed wind energy leasing agreements with developers.

Mrs. Gentz, 63, has been the township clerk for 13 years. She told The Blade Tuesday night that the recall election outcome will resolve the controversy that exists in the community over wind farm technology.

“The voters have spoken. I am still in favor of the wind project. I guess that we will have to see where it goes from here,” she said. “I hope that something can be worked out so that everybody can live with it. I feel that I did the best I could while I was here.”

Mr. Goetz could not be reached Tuesday night.

Mrs. Gentz and Mr. Goetz were part of a 5-0 vote to place a six-month moratorium on turbine installation in Ogden Township and were on the losing end of a 3-2 vote to expand a citizens advisory committee investigating the viability of turbines in Ogden Township.

Also in Lenawee County, Julie Berryman Adams, Jerry Gallatin, Thomas Faulhaber, Harry Steele, Don Taylor, and Chuck Jacobson advanced to the November election in the primary for Adrian City Commission. They will be running for three seats on the commission.

Source:  BY MARK REITER, BLADE STAFF WRITER, www.toledoblade.com 3 August 2011

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon