Michael Khouri lives on Middle Highway. Like many of the residents at the Committee for Renewable Energy for Barrington (CREB) community meeting Wednesday night, Aug. 20, Mr. Khouri went to the event in search of answers.

Most of the two-and-a-half hour meeting, however, was spent in heated debate.

The majority of the residents at the meeting at the American Legion Hall said they were concerned about the proximity of the wind turbine to their home if it is constructed at Legion Way, the noise it will generate, and its impact on wildlife in the area.

"I don't want it. It's noise that is not there now. Why would I want it?" Mr. Khouri said. "I live there. You don't. What about the value of my home?"

At the beginning of the meeting, CREB chairman David Baum gave a presentation projected from a computer screen onto a white sheet of paper in between the American Legion Preamble and its blue and gold flag. Mr. Baum got through the first few slides of his presentation - a brief history of wind turbines and a detailed model of a wind turbine and its parts - before a couple of residents began heckling him from the back of the room.

"Come on," said Ron Raffa, a Middle Highway resident who does not support a wind turbine at Legion Way. "Get rid of this project."

Mr. Raffa wanted to know why the Legion Way site was a good one for a wind turbine in town. He asked Mr. Baum why Hundred Acre Cove was not considered as a potential site for the wind turbine.

Mr. Baum said wind maps show there is not enough wind at Hundred Acre Cove to support this project.

"If you don't put up a pole and study it how do you know what kind of wind you're going to have?" said Broadview Drive resident Daniel Justynski.

Mr. Raffa's wife, Regina, said she remembered a similar meeting she attended at Legion Hall years ago in regards to a sewer plant. She said the people in charge of that project promised her it would not impact the quality of life there.

"The sewer plant is here and I can hear the motor when the windows are open," she said. "You're color-coding it and you're making it sweet. Noise travels."

"At night, I can hear the crickets. What's in it for me? I'm a resident. Don't I have rights?" Mr. Khouri said. "What about the value of my home?"

Mr. Baum said the value of his home might go up, or it might go down.

"I'm not here to fight with you, sir. I'm just here to provide information," he added.

The wind turbine is estimated to generate a noise level of 35 decibels, health and safety subcommittee member Ron Pitt equated to a whisper in a library.

Broadview Drive resident Walter Adamowicz said a constant noise, no matter how high or low the decibel level, would drive him crazy.

Mr. Baum also touched upon two other major concerns, ice throw and flicker, or shadow generated by a wind turbine at some points during the year.

Mr. Baum said there is an ice storm in Barrington every other year. The possibility of ice forming on the blades is a real one, but the turbine can be shut off during a major storm.

"Ice falls off a lot of things and it would fall off this thing, too," he said. "We've tried to find objective information. Although we did not make any conclusions. We tried to provide objective information so the community can understand. We're going to tell you what has been done around the world."

What about the birds?

Robert Lachance and his wife, Nancy Lachance, sat in the front of Legion Hall at Wednesday night's meeting.

Mr. Lachance questioned the accuracy of a computer-generated photograph of a wind turbine at Legion Way. He said the photograph is deceiving. He said it appears as though the wind turbine is located farther back than the 1,000 feet proposed in the plan.

Mr. Baum said he thought the photograph was accurate, but he would look into it at the next CREB meeting.

"I remember seeing that in the paper and being terribly amused by that," he said.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. You think I'm trying to lie to you?" Mr. Baum said.

The Lachances are also concerned about the impact of a wind turbine on wildlife there.

"Brickyard Pond is a conservation area," Mr. Lachance said. "I'm worried we are going to lose valuable waterfowl people come for all over New England to see."

According to CREB's health and safety report, the average turbine kills four birds per year, and 20 bats per year.

"When you put up a house, you kill more than that," Mr. Pitt said.

"You're going to kill them all. You're going to kill all the birds in the pond," Mr. Lachance said.

In support

Gregory Rueb also lives on Middle Highway. Mr. Rueb spoke up at the meeting in support of a wind turbine in Barrington.

"Birds are not stupid. Birds know the path to follow," he said.

Mr. Rueb moved to Barrington 27 years ago, and has raised two children in town.

"I ask people to really search their soul. Think about the future. If we don't take it upon ourselves to act, it's never going to happen," he said.

Mr. Rueb received criticism from some residents in the audience. Someone from the audience requested residents keep quiet and give Mr. Baum the courtesy to finish his presentation.

"I will talk to people who are considerate," Mr. Baum said. "I understand this is an emotional issue."

Mr. Baum will present information at two more community meetings Wednesday, Aug. 27 and Wednesday, Sept. 10.

"I hope he's up for two more of these," one resident said as she walked out the door.