Sunday, April 28, 2013

Shedding some Light…Wind Turbine Land Lease Option


Shedding some Light…Wind Turbine Land Lease Option

FACT: There was no town meeting vote for wind turbine project.

FACT: Option for Land Lease and Wind Easement was executed on June 28, 2008. It states:

“...by and between Narragansett Regional School District, a regional school district duly organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ("Owner") and the Town of Templeton, Massachusetts, acting by and through Templeton Municipal Light  & Water Plant...”


The BOS minute books for the time period in question have been reviewed. The BOS did not vote to allow TMLWP to act on its behalf regarding the wind turbine land lease option.

FACT: Gerald Skelton was Chairman of BOS until May 2008 when the BOS reorganized. Gerald Skelton was also a TMLWP Commissioner. Carol Skelton was Town Coordinator. 

FACT: Gregg Edwards was on the BOS as vice chairman until May 2008. He chose not to run again for BOS in 2008. Gregg Edwards was appointed to Light in December of 1999 and has been an elected TMLWP Commissioner ever since. 

FACT: Two TMLWP Commissioners served as BOS at the same time that this Land Lease Deal was negotiated.

Conjecture: Is a land lease contract valid if it were signed by the general manager, Sean Hamilton without authorization by the Templeton Board of Selectmen?

On page 5 of this 6 page document is the signature page. On this signature page Narragansett Regional School District was signed by its Chairman John Columbus. “Town of Templeton, acting by and through, Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant by: Sean Hamilton, General Manager.

What are the implications for the Town of Templeton, the Narragansett Regional School District, TMLWP and the Mass Municipal Light Department Wind Cooperative Corporation if this "Option for Land Lease and Wind Easement" is invalid?

Also, on page one: RECITALS -

D. TMLWP has voted to become a member of the Mass Municipal Light Department Wind Cooperative Corporation (the "Cooperative"), a municipal light plant cooperative organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and constituting a public instrumentality under GL c 164, §47C. TMLWP intends to assign this Lease Option to the Cooperative. As used herein, TMLWP includes its successors and assigns, including the Cooperative."
If this agreement was signed on June 25, 2008, then it stands to reason that TMLWP joined the "Cooperative" prior to June 25, 2008. 

FACT: In 2008, the TMLWP Commissioners were Dana Blais, Gerald P. Skelton and Gregg Edwards.
To determine the answers to many of the questions surrounding the Wind Turbine Project, please support the citizen petition:

Forensic audit

To see if the town will vote to require the Templeton Municipal Light Department to conduct a forensic audit of all costs involved in the planning, construction and commissioning of the John LeClerc Wind Turbine to be paid for by the Templeton Municipal Light Department. The auditing firm to be selected by mutual agreement by both the Templeton Light Commissioners and the BOS and the report of the forensic audit to be presented to the Town at the next Annual Town Meeting.


Please support the article submitted by the BOS initiated by Chris Stewart- that BOS members could serve on only one elected board, committee or commission. For close to ten years, there has been an elected member of the BOS who has also been elected to Light and Water. It is difficult to serve both positions concurrently.

My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !

Julie Farrell


Once again I will state we are fortunate to have three good candidates for selectmen- Paul Cosentino, Doug Morrison and Kenn Robinson.

For heavens sake – VOTE SMART

Please exercise your right to VOTE on April 30th!

7 comments:

  1. Wow Dana! I bet you are printing your copy of this as i'm entering a comment. I found this a very interesting thing for Templeton to be a part of without Philipston at their side. But why would you worry about that when the pot of gold follows the dirty deals that get made.It's all about the money, Dad taught me the important things like that. You were suckered and never knew it. Now help him get elected,fools follow fools. Look in the mirror and after you open your eyes ask yourself,do i look like a fool? You can not cover this up any longer! Pauly and his blog have given the power to people that will uncover things in Templeton for thousands to read and check facts on and as he says all on "paper"! You will need a different kind of paper for your about to produce a very large one. The years of ENOUGH are about to be looked at alot closer than you and him ever dreamed. I will post more and more of what gets turned up and others that care about Templeton will want the truth to be told. You may have the 350 at the STM filled with your bulls--t and have the Signature of Mr. Templeton "Sean Hamilton" batting on your team.But as i told him while harrassing me before the STM i have my own opinion. You will all find out the secrets as i tell Templeton what you've been up to with our money + land.It is our Business.
    It's all about the money.
    MMLDWECC = Hidden pot of gold storage area!
    MMWEC = Shelters from the storm.Bankers of the loans 5.5% from 1.5% such a deal"Boys" Where are the Audit results? If wilder thought it was fun to laugh along with stewart at STM,maybe the forensic audit will wipe the smile of their faces!It's time Templeton gets the answers she deserves.
    Shareholder
    Dave Smart
    PLEASE Vote SMART "GET SMART ANSWERS"
    There are only 3 good choices for a new Selectman, DOUG, PAULY + KEN

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  2. Wonder how Philipston feels about being part of illegal land lease deal? Wonder how Philipston likes being involved with shady political deals of Templeton? I wonder how a school district can come to taxpayers and ask for more money because it is needed to look after your kids as the school district enters into an agreement that puts those same kids in danger, have you seen how close the turbine is to the running track. Narragansett has a legal budget, did the district check to see if it was legal for Sean Hamilton to sign for the town? But then again I am still wondering why no one at the district, beginning with the superintendent, ever questioned how we had a town meeting vote for $550,000.00 and Gerald Skelton signed a document obligating the town for over $900,000.00. And no there was no town meeting vote on this either!

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  3. Perhaps someone can ask Ms. Wilder if she feels the general manager of Templeton light can sign for the town of Templeton?? She may think this is an absurd question but just say you would like an asnwer forthwith.

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  4. Maybe there are minutes of school committee meeting where it was voted to allow John Columbus to sign for the district in this land lease deal and perhaps those minutes can shed some light on this issue

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    1. My friends, uncovering all this dirty laundry, is going to make some people squirm!! Oh well, Oh well! Like this old girl says,"It will come out in the wash"!! Bev.

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  5. I find Ms. Wilder's comments in the Gardner News LTTE very irresponsible of her to write as a sitting selectman. She is required to represent the entire town of Templeton, not just her "dear friends". By saying that a citizens petition is meant to "destroy" our L&W dept is not only incredibly wrong, it shows that she does not support transparency in government. The whole reason behind the citizens petitions is to acquire access to information that is supposed to be made available to the public. This is, after all, a public utility, not a private company. She may not agree with opinions of how the L&W dept is run by some citizens, but as a sitting selectman, she should ALWAYS support the citizens' rights to obtaining public information. As a selectman, she should always choose her words wisely as they can come back and haunt her. Much like her "forthwith" comment with rehiring K&P. I just hope that people will decide to vote in new selectman that will be fair and follow the letters of the law and also be able to separate their personal opinions from executing the role of selectman in a responsible way.

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  6. I was very upset with that LTTE she wrote. I feel it was giving people the wrong information. When you have a position like she does, the public looks to you for information, and they have the right to expect it to be correct. I think she should give up her seat, if she can not be honest. We have put up with her demanding that the police remove voters from a selectman's meeting, when they had done nothing wrong. Virginia can be abrasive to the people who work for the town. She is a follower, who reacts, before she has all of the facts. Virginia is a grown woman, not some child. It is time for her to make her own decisions, but if she can only follow the lead of her "dear friends", then it is time for her to go. Our town needs to go forward, and it can't with people who create problems, and spread lies. This is my opinion, Bev.

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