As a resident of Savoy, I've often asked if there were potential benefits of harnessing wind energy in Savoy since we seem to have allot of it. Being in the field of education as long as I have(31 years), I know our children are learning about alternative renewable energy in a big way in our science classes. They know that where there is wind, water, sun and soil, there is the potential of farming renewable energy. Do we not claim to be a right to farm community? In my school where I work, children are building solar cars. The fact is: Our young people are our countries most valuable renewable resource. We must nurture them and build our community for them as well.
So when it comes to our town exploring the benefits of exploring alternative renewable energy resources , we need to be thinking of our future not our past! Our children are living with the mistakes we have made. IE dependency on foreign oil and fossil fuels to generate electricity. Savoy residents in the past also have not taken advantage state monies that would have covered nearly 87% of the cost of building a new school. What a tragic mistake especially when we see how much building costs have increased in the years since.
When folks threaten to not retire here in Savoy because they don't want embrace alternative energy initiatives, they need to ask themselves: why? If they were living here full time they would see first hand how our services are being stretched under such a limited a limited tax base. They would see that the beauty they actually enjoy is also a resource that benefit our whole town including our children. Alan Carlow and the Savoy recreation commission would like to have a year round recreation center yet we have not the tax base to build it and staff it. The truth is these services that we are cutting are the very services that we need to be expanding. It's no secret to our community leaders that we never receive the full tax benefit of the state owned land in our town but do appreciate the environmental benefits. I guess it's a partnership that needs to be improved; not abandoned! We in Savoy can benefit from all sorts of renewable energy projects including hydropower and solar. It's this partnership with our future that I believe Savoy needs to embrace if we are to think and act forward rather than backward. JFK said it right when said "Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for country(our community!"
When folks resort to scare tactics by sending an unsigned letter to voters claiming that state resources will be lost and that our town will have to hire more police and fire protection WITHOUT FACTS OR A RATIONAL, They do our community a disservice. There is something about signing a letter that contributes to any discussion of public issues . Mr. McClanahan would find it hard to argue his points to our children who see the benefits of wind power. You see their view is based on what's been prov-en. There is money to be made and foreign oil to be saved when we think forward and harness wind energy and other forms of renewable energy. That is why I will vote in favor of the Malloy alternative energy proposal because it puts action behind our words "we CAN become energy self sufficient!
Sincerely;
Tom Marshall
Griffin Hill
