To the Editor:

In response to “Candidates Working to Create ‘Shadow’ Government” which appeared in the Oct. 11-17 issue of North Country This Week: I feel confident that the voters of Hopkinton who have met, spoken with, and heard candidates Pullano and Pease speak publicly, realize that they certainly are their own people and do the bidding of no one.

I do have a few questions though. Should we assume to correlate Mr. Potenzano’s position as chair of his organization, North Country for a Brighter Future, with his endorsement of the incumbent councilmen? Do those men accept that endorsement and Mr. Potenzano’s assessment of the other candidates running for the two council seats? We should hear from them.

On the conglomerate question - Mr. Potenzano is suggesting that a corporation that is part of a conglomerate, for example one such as Iberdrola, Atlantic Wind LLC, Avangrid Renewables LLC, does not have a common corporate group goal and, those being paid by them (for example lease holders), should not be expected to work towards the corporation’s goals as well? Mr. Potenzano is a paid leaseholder. Is he not working towards the corporate goals of the company he is being paid by?

As for the trip to Bellmont, I was there. Mr. Potenzano neglected to mention the regrets Supervisor Russell and councilman Rogers expressed with regard to the newer 500ft. turbine expansion in their town. They cautioned the Hopkinton board members and others present to beware of the newer, taller, 500ft. turbines and associated noise problems citizens are now experiencing, and regretted not updating their wind law to accommodate for them by creating larger setbacks (suggesting 4,000 ft.). They also have since realized that the 500ft. road setbacks will now prevent future development of those lost commercial or residential properties along valuable road frontage.

After walking and talking with several property owners affected by close proximity to the taller turbines, it is clear this trip has revealed some realities the town board may not have considered until now. Maybe it’s time for those board members that were present to speak publicly about their trip and what they experienced that day. (See and listen to a video of one such turbine on our tour https://youtu.be/oci3zy_vh4o)

As to a shadow government, if memory serves, conglomerate member Avangrid came to an understanding with plenty of families and politicians who were in charge in Hopkinton in 2011. Perhaps that was the real shadow government writer Frank Potenzano is referring to.

Dolores Rice

Hopkinton property owner