Should wind companies come to Monterey?

MONTEREY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Monday night's Monterey Township board meeting discussed not only how or if wind energy companies should be allowed, but who should be making those decisions.

After nearly one hour of public comment, the dozens of residents at the meeting kept coming back to the same idea: How can certain board members vote on the issue if they are involved financially?

Three of the five township board members currently are leasing property to wind energy companies.

The board eventually will vote for or against an ordinance that will outline regulations -- including height, allowable sound and distance from buildings -- that wind companies would have to follow before setting up shop in Monterey Township.

Residents expressed concern about board members making an impartial decision.

"The higher the DB levels and the smaller the setbacks they write into their ordinance to protect our township residents, the more they can personally get wind turbines on their own property and the more money they get -- the more wind turbines on their property," resident Pat Roys said.

But Township Supervisor Christopher Reinart, who leases property, said that's not the case.

"As far as writing the rules up ... the legislature does not excuse themselves because they may have an interest in something when writing a law, and that's what we're doing -- writing basic legislation for the ordinance for the turbines," he told 24 Hour News 8.

Board members are trying to keep the best interests of the township in mind, Reinart added.

"It's going to increase our tax base without increasing the amount of people in the township, so that we're the best of both worlds," he said.

A meeting for public comment on the wind energy ordinance is slated for later this month.