The Springwater
Preservation Committee
Springwater Preservation Committee |
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ABOUT US The initial effort was directed at obtaining a resolution of the Town Board to declare a six-month moratorium on Industrial/Commercial wind developments and a follow up Local Law to either prohibit them or strictly regulate them in a way which would adequately protect area residents. In spite of the fact that it was clear that the overwhelming majority of residents of the East Springwater area were strongly opposed to this development, and in spite of the results of a Town wide public hearing at which 67% were opposed and 33% were in favor, the Town Board, by a 3 to 2 vote rejected a moratorium. About nine months later, they then passed a Local Law to regulate such projects. The Law is better than no law and does offer some protection to the Town generally, but little protection to individual residents and property owners close to any future project. CURRENT STATUS Based on a press release in
December of 2006, it appears that PPM Atlantic Renewable has dropped its
plans to build 14 wind turbines in Springwater. PPM spokeswoman Jan Johnson
said that the company’s options on property in the town have expired.
According to Johnson, “We decided to focus our efforts on the development of
wind projects in other parts of New York,” Since many of our members have attended every Town Board meeting, we have inevitably become concerned with other Town issues and have been become actively concerned with the quality of general Town government. Some of these issues are as follows: 1. Sewer District - Construction began in May 2006, one year behind schedule and $1 million dollars over the estimated cost if it had been started one year earlier as originally scheduled. 2. Property Maintenance Law - The SPC has advocated for such a law and with some success. A proposed law is being considered, and it is anticipated it will be approved in June or July, 2006. The matter of its subsequent enforcement is still an issue. 3. Town Beautification - The SPC has advocated for a long term effort to clean up and improve the appearance of the Town Center area. As a result of these efforts the Town Board has agreed to establish a committee and budgeted $1,000 for this year. While we consider the amount inadequate, we hope it will be a modest start which can expand in the future. 4. Comprehensive Plan - SPC believes that the Town should develop a long term Comprehensive Plan for its future with specific goals and that the Town should have a Planning Board. A Comprehensive Plan based on the work of a large committee, (about 20) representing a wide cross section of the Town, and working with a professional consultant would provide a common vision for the future and bring the Town together. The effort has been totally unsuccessful to date. 5. Bulk Clean Up - We have advocated for wider publicity and lower costs for bulk clean up days at the transfer station and possible expansion from 1 day to 2 days per year. As evidenced by the clean up day recently held on May 20, 2006 there has been some improvement on this issue. 6. Fire Hall Foreclosure- The SPC has not taken any position on the issue of the fire hall having been subject to bank foreclosure, as the damage was done before SPC existed. We do believe that if our Town government was working properly, including the Fire District, this would never have happened. We have monitored the situation as closely as possible. It appears that a private individual and Town property owner, with long experience in investment banking, has come forward and provided a work out solution which is the best possible solution. 7. Election Practices - SPC supported a write in candidate for Town Board in the November, 2005 election. During that election the voting machine for Eastern Springwater ran out of paper, but nothing was done to correct this situation for several hours. There were also numerous other irregularities and violation of the written instructions for those running the election. We have therefore supported a complaint by the write-in candidate to the State Attorney General, but to date there has been no response by the State. The primary purpose of SPC will remain to oppose any industrial/commercial wind projects in Springwater. We are also committed to improving the quality of life and government in Springwater and to the long term future of the Town. It is our sincere hope that when we are no longer here, people will be able to say we have passed on a better environment to the next generation. We fully realize how busy life can be in our modern world, but believe it is still the responsibility of each citizen to take an active interest in our national, state and local communities; it is in our local community that our voices can be most effectively heard. To the extent you are able, we encourage each person to participate in your community and thank all those who do, including, for example - all those who sponsor and run the Gala, volunteer firemen and ambulance workers and numerous others. YOU CAN HELP BY: WRITING to the Town Board (8022 Main St. Springwater, NY 14560) and to your Senators and Legislators expressing your concern ATTENDING the Town Board meetings at which the Board will hear and record your viewpoint SHARING what you now know with other Springwater taxpayers CONTRIBUTING your financial support (click here for more information) JOINING the Springwater Preservation Committee by writing P.O. Box 128, Springwater, NY 14560, email info@springwaterpreservation.org
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