To the Editor:

When an opportunity comes knocking at your door, you have to at least check out the possibilities. That's exactly, what happened when the Avangrid people stopped at our home and talked to us about potentially leasing some of our land for wind towers.

We moved to the North Country because of the clean air, water and natural beauty.

So, before we committed to signing an agreement with Avangrid, we wanted to check out the tower areas near by that they have developed and talk to some of the land owners.

On approaching the Lowville towers, you do notice them but they are not very obtrusive compared to the scale to the skyline. As you drive up to the towers the simplicity and beauty of these minimal structures takes shape.

After arriving at the tower site, I stood by the road and listened for a sound, I heard nothing. Then I walked down the path towards the tower and within about one hundred feet, I heard a soft and unobtrusive swishing sound. Then I put my ear to the tower and heard a hum, that's it.

My next step was to get comments from neighbors. Proceeding down the road, I saw an older gentleman with towers on his farmland. I stopped and asked him about the wind towers and Avangrid's business agreement with him.

I told him that I was from Parishville and was approached by them to lease my land. He told me to park my car and come inside his home because he had important things to tell me. I was starting to have doubts.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Avangrid was extremely accommodating in erecting and taking care of his property and the towers. He also told me that they made good on all of their payments and paid on time. He said that I was lucky to be approached by them and to take advantage of their offer.

Next, I decided to talk to a landowner who was not a participant in the towers, They told me they were not bothered by them it helped with the taxes and the local public school in a big way.

Finally, I approached some businesses in Lowville and the results were the same. Leaseholders, neighbors, residents and business owners in Lowville all told me the same story: the wind farm has provided them with tax relief, has helped their kids education and has given the town a much needed economic boost.

As you consider your position on the North Ridge Wind Farm I would urge you to research Avangrid, you have to research the company, talk to the people and government authorities who have approved their projects.

Go to the meetings and listen to the environmentalists, engineers and managers of this wind project.

The first thing that you will notice is that their presentation is calm, knowledgeable and non-threatening to opponents, that's because they know what they're doing and working to do it right for everyone.

Jack and Linda Kelley

Parishville