DECISION TO DETERMINE TURBINE DIRECTION

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING

7 pm OCTOBER 7, 2013

Falmouth’s Board of Health will discuss, Monday night, how many hours of sleep is enough for a Falmouth resident’s good health.  The catalyst for the issue is the Selectmen’s changed operational hours of the Town’s two wind turbines.  

Selectmen recently adopted an operating plan allowing neighboring residents 8 hours of sleep.  Their belief, contingent upon financial aid necessary from the state, is that with the increased hours of operation, the town could then “break-even” fiscally, while satisfying basic requirements of both adversely impacted residents and town climate action goals.

A sticking point, expected to be contended, is whether a basic 8 hours of sleep is enough for the good health and the development of children in the effected neighborhoods.  The Board of Health is well aware that the medical and health communities recommend children get more than 8 hours of sleep.

If the Board of Health concludes 8 hours will not provide a healthy environment, they have the authority granted by the state legislature, to set an appropriate sleep period despite town budget or climate action goals.

No matter the sleep policy decision, any Board determination will have ramifications sure to effect a resident’s sleep allowance, and more important to the majority, everyone’s taxes.  Whether the wind related tax hike is due to litigation involving a few residents healthy sleep periods or due to the annual budget deficit resulting from child-friendly turbine operating hours, Falmouth citizens will once again be witnessing the never ending saga of the wind turbine siting mistake.  

Even more upsetting, We'll continue witnessing the apathy of our community leadership to hold any one, or any entity, accountable.   

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