To the Editor:

With all the negative comments made against the turbines and the few positive comments, it seems as if the “nay sayers” are speaking for the majority. No!

The majority of citizens are relying on our elected town board and the wind advisory board to separate the facts from fear-mongering and monetary jealousy and do what’s best for the majority. I’m a leaseholder and as such I’ve been in contact with the leaseholders that remain in the area in the winter.

They are citizens mostly in their 70’s and 80’s, whose land, which you all admire, has been in their families for decades and generations. They have little to no computer skills to submit letters or opinion pieces to this newspaper, but do have the moral value of respect for others and their opinions.

These people are non-confrontational and some are truly afraid to attend any meetings to voice their opinion because of hostility toward them. This is not the North Country in which my wife and I raised three daughters.

Last week I visited my neighbors who are anti-wind. We have signs on our property showing our opposite choices. We sat down, had some beers, and talked. Actually listened to each other’s concerns. We spoke about the PILOT, green energy, birds, siting, and our concerns for the town tax wise. We respected each other’s opinion. Neighbors.

These men are local business men and are not threatening to move their business elsewhere if the turbines come, like a child threatening to take their ball away if things don’t go their way, as I heard a business woman say at a Wind Advisory Board meeting in Hopkinton last month. That’s her choice.

My wife and I came out of the Hopkinton Town hall after attending the Avangrid open house and were shouted at by a person who was picketing against the turbines.

They shouted, “we’re bigger than you think.” Good for you. Don’t shout at me. Talk to me. I’ll respect you if you respect me. It’s simple.

Frank Potenzano

Hopkinton