I disagree with the mayor about the future of West Lincoln.

Our council has taken on a project estimated to cost $23.6 million with no firm plan except that they have set their sights on achieving a new arena and recreation complex before the next election.

In 2015, council turned down a proposal for a $14-million complex because funding was not complete, and now they have plans for a $23.6-million complex and still have no funding in place, no business plan, and no estimate of operating expenses. They have, however, decided to place all funds they anticipate receiving from the wind projects: the Community Impact Fund, the Road Use Agreement, and the funds equal to the replacement of the 7,000 trees removed by the wind company, into the project.

Council also brags about the 3.5 per cent tax increase to the 2017 budget as the final increase when they are actually planning a 13.6 per cent increase phased in over three years.

Now they are asking this community to start fundraising. Many of us have spent thousands of our own dollars (and thousands of hours of our time) on just attempting to keep the wind company compliant with no help from this township. Residents of West Lincoln have had to put their own funds into purchasing noise monitoring equipment, with no support from our council. Our council never done anything to help the residents of West Lincoln, except to sign the documents allowing them to collect the bribe money from the project.

West Lincoln in 2017 has 49 industrial wind turbines, miles of transmission lines, guard rails and utility poles, and families facing problems with water quality, noise, shadow flicker, sleeplessness, health issues and stress.

I expect to see more and more issues with the wind projects in the future and huge tax increases for years to come just to maintain this recreational complex.

Nellie DeHaan, Smithville

Published January 17, 2017