It’s time for a wind farm moratorium 

I was elected to serve at the pleasure of the Marion County voters. I have served for three years, and in my efforts to save tax dollars, increase transparency, provide equality to all, hold people accountable and to bring a businesslike efficiency to this county, I have weathered fierce opposition by the Marion County Record consistently. I proudly step up to be the voice of all the people in Marion County and to speak boldly for anyone who I believe is not being represented justly.

The following is my opinion of Mr. Meyer’s editorial entitled “A Warning Shot for Wind Farm Foes!”

Yes! I called for a moratorium. Again. I believe it is prudent to take a step back from allowing wind farms to plow through our county one after another without serious due diligence by the commission.

What is so wrong with evaluating the impact of the rushed decisions recently made?  Will there be economic pitfalls by having multiple wind farms throughout our beautiful rural landscape and the Flint Hills?  What is so wrong with slowing down to think, review and study what we want our county to look like in five, 10, 15 years from now?

Or have we come to the point where wind farms are our only hope of survival? I believe if wind farms are such a blessing today, they will be the same tomorrow, next month, next year and even five years.

Furthermore – contrary to the information that has been shoved down our throats – that the county has only a small minority that is opposing the wind farms, the truth is, it’s a large part of the county’s population. How ironic is the fact that the people in Marion don’t want even a single cell tower near them!

It comes as no surprise to me Mr. Meyer jumps on any isolated incident, subject matter, event or tragedy with no regard to accuracy, to satisfy his prolonged hostility toward me. I personally have become immune to all the false and sensationalized articles written with no substance other than to try to demean and humiliate my efforts.

However, Mr. Meyer has now crossed my line, with his editorial.

His opinion of the people who are opposed to wind farms is horrifying! The very people he dares call foes – radical, gun-toting rednecks stoking passion for violence – are guilty of only one thing, they hold a different opinion than he does.

They are good, honest, law-abiding citizens. They are husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, neighbors, professionals, who chose Marion County to build a new home, or refurbish a farmhouse to raise a family in rural America.

They are taxpayers who do commerce here in Marion County. And for Mr. Meyer to suggest they should be shunned by the “average citizens,” he should be ashamed of himself! Isn’t the divide already great enough?

Mr. Meyer also stated these people failed to defeat wind farms when they had their chance. When did anyone have a chance?

According to Commissioner Mr. Dallke “The future for Marion County was set years ago!”

I strongly encourage all Marion County citizens to read the 2016 repealed and replaced Article 27, the discontinued Article 31, the disregarded Articles 19 and 24. It is within the pages of these planning and zoning articles where no one with an opposing opinion to wind farms has a chance.

Is it possible people are growing tired of having to fight for their fundamental rights, that have been taken away from them and to be speaking to ears that only hear the cha-ching of the money hitting their own bank accounts?

Also, I have never condoned any type of violence or illegal actions from anyone, neither the proponent’s or opponent’s to wind farms. Those who have taken the law into their own hands are responsible for their own actions alone.

I do agree with Mr. Meyer it is time for responsible leaders to stand up and STOP stoking the fire. Will he be the first to set the example and stop stoking the fire? I think we also agree it’s high time for a moratorium, let’s put one on “Fake News in Marion County” before it’s too late – if we haven’t already reached that point.

Dianne Novak,
Marion County Commissioner