Private meeting over wind turbine in Barrington creates stir

Opposition to project says meeting ‘smacks of backroom dealing'

Members of the Citizens Wind Watch of Barrington, a group opposing the wind turbine project in town, is calling into question a private meeting between two council members, the town manager and the chairman of the Committee for Renewable Energy for Barrington (CREB).

Members of Citizens Wind Watch obtained and circulated copies of two e-mails sent from David Baum, the CREB chairman, to some town officials and other members of the CREB. The e-mails refer to a meeting on Nov. 14, in which council members June Speakman and Kate Weymouth, town manager Peter DeAngelis and Mr. Baum discussed the proposed wind turbine project.

According to one of the e-mails, at that meeting the group decided to initiate a wind study for the Legion Way location, pursue a Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) preliminary study for the site, review the economic model for the project and call an end to any future public workshops regarding the project.

"The meeting and subsequent e-mail that David Baum sent ... smacks of backroom dealing, even if it was meant to be completely above board," wrote Tony Caner, a member of Citizens Wind Watch, in a subsequent e-mail to council member Jamie Schwartz.

A number of Citizens Wind Watch members feel similarly to Mr. Caner, including Jill Cuzzone.

"It appears, if the e-mail is a correct reiteration of a meeting between June Speakman, Kate Weymouth, Peter DeAngelis and David Baum, that a private meeting was held and decisions were made on the turbine project outside of the public venue. Why are decisions being made in private? Why is public input being disregarded?" wrote Ms. Cuzzone. "These questions and many others are very important to have answered."

Ms. Speakman said the meeting was intended to be a routine discussion between a council member and the town manager.

"I needed to have a meeting with Peter DeAngelis in order to determine how we were going to move forward," she said. "At the [October] workshop I said we'd have another workshop. CREB decided they didn't need another workshop."

Ms. Speakman said she contacted Mr. DeAngelis in order to address three points: the council wanted more wind data for the proposed location, it wanted a review of the economic model provided by CREB, and the council called for an examination of current energy prices to see how they would relate to the project. Ms. Speakman said Mr. Baum was invited, and added that Mr. DeAngelis asked Ms. Weymouth to attend.

"I needed to say to members of the CREB ‘Here's what the council needs to move on'," Ms. Speakman said. "This was a perfectly appropriate meeting between a council member, me, talking to an administrator, Peter."

Ms. Speakman said the council wanted to conclude CREB's involvement in the proposed wind turbine project. She said the all-volunteer board had been charged with researching the feasibility of the work and providing a recommendation on the bids submitted for the project. She said the group was not intended to function as an advocate for wind energy in Barrington.

"What is unfortunate is when you get into public debates between the Citizens Wind Watch and CREB. The CREB is part of town government. I have suggested that any concerns should be directed to the council. It's not David Baum's job to engage in public debates with members of Citizens Wind Watch. That's just too much to ask," Ms. Speakman said.

The council member said there were no plans to discontinue to the public discussion of the wind turbine project. She said the council will likely focus on the topic at a special meeting in mid-December.

"Yes, the council will continue the discussion," Ms. Speakman said. "I've had conversations with several members of Citizens Wind Watch. What I tried to do is explain why the meeting took place and that no decisions were made. This is all information gathering."

Ms. Speakman provided a rough calendar for the town council. She said the new council would be sworn in on Dec. 1, and the board's first official meeting was on Dec. 8. At that meeting the council will set a date for a special meeting on the wind turbine project.

"My guess is that the meeting would be scheduled for the following week," she said. "Peter [DeAngelis] has told me that the wind study should be done by then."

What's next

According to Ms. Speakman, Mr. DeAngelis ordered an AWS Truewind study for the location, which will cost approximately $3,500. Council approval is not needed for expenditures less than $5,000.

Also, Barrington Finance Director Dean Huff will review the economic model for the project that was submitted by CREB.

Mr. Caner questioned some of the actions in his e-mail to council member Jamie Schwartz, specifically challenging the review by the town's finance director and the decision to spend money for the AWS Truewind study. The AWS Truewind study is different than the erection of a met tower for testing purposes.