Support Flows Our Way

The community is coming together in support of our attempt to harness Minnesota's Wind!!!  Many people have expressed their disgust with the city in person, by commenting on stories in the newspapers and good old fashioned fan mail.

One of the letters we have received from a resident of Mound dated 3/25/11 reinforced our opinion that we are doing the right thing and why.  Several passages stood out to me:

'Your system seems smart, 21st century, and a step in the correct direction.  How typical that a government system, even a local one, would "road block" such a good idea..'

'If Go Green Energy romances Orono into an acceptable language for a turbine ordinance, God Bless America!!'

You can see the final passage for yourself....

GreenMan

Sued for 'Going Green'

Sorry for the delay .... I know the rumors are flying .... but yes, we have actually been served by the City of Orono to remove our wind turbine!!!

We have been busy huddling with our  Counsel in an undisclosed location (possibly within the state of Minnesota, or not considering my tan) preparing our response to this outrageous Lawsuit.

All Oronians should be up in arms over the waste of time and money by an already stretched city budget.

Look below and please let me know what is so terrible about what we are doing...........other than not cleaning up the yard.........

Photo Courtesy of:
 Brett Strusa
Lakeshore Weekly News



GreenMan

My Kingdom for a Pole

After the new year and we were getting back to business, I realized that the city of Orono had not replied to our response.  It had been a full month and no contact in any form.  My turbine was due at the end of January and once more I was put in the position of having to beg my city to do something that is perfectly legal according to thier code, or proceed ahead with my project. 

The next step was to prepare my pole.  I purchased a 10+' length of 10" schedule 40 pipe, 1" plate for the base and flange, and 7/16" plate for the gussets.  We (Alias Dennis & I) cut the pipe to 10' and used a 'stand up' mill to cut the base plate, flange as well as the holes within them.  The gussets were cut on a band saw.  We decided to go with 6 oversize gussets instead of 4 as it was a cheap way to increase the strength of the pole.  Our buddy the welder put this assembly together straight and true.

I had my choice of paint, powder coat or galvanizing.  I chose hot-dip galvanizing as it was the most cost effective and durable alternative (they claim 100 years at the galvanizer).  So we loaded my 440 pound pole into the truck with three other poles prepared for a roof mount in St Paul.  The bottom of the poles is painted with an oil based paint to mask the pole, preventing the pole from being galvanized in the area where it is to be welded to the building.  The galvanize let off some dangerous fumes if welded to.

GreenMan

Our Response

An employee of the city of Orono had told me to remove my footing and threatened me with criminal prosecution (shouldn't any legal threat from a public institution come from their lawyer?).  It was time to reinforce my position and respond in such a manner as to fend off the arbitrary harassment I was under. I found  appropriate legal representation and we put together a response letter defending my right  to go green on my private property. We also point out the vagaries in the city ordinances and building permit denial.  Further, we point out the lack of city enforcement on other similar items which populate the city. The following list highlights the basis of our response:

• the city staff did no due diligence on the issue presented them
• the city of Orono has had plenty of time to develop renewable energy ordinances
• the reasons for denial were nonsensical and did not apply
• a city cannot arbitrarily deny everything it cannot think of
• the city of Orono allows variances to gain access to sunlight, thus declaring renewable energy a right
• similar items are located throughout the city even though they are not allowed by the zoning code
• basketball hoops
• light poles
• hot tubs
• bug zappers
• hot tubs
• and more...

I ran the letter by my wife, we signed it and sent it off on Dec 6, 2010.  I also sent a copy via certified mail (as Melanie had done to me) to ensure they could not say they did not get it, it was delivered on Dec 6 as well.

To this day, March 6, 2011, I have not received a response to my letter from the city.  Yet I have had the police in my yard taking pictures over a property issue and the city of Orono exceeded it's authority (illegally?) by trying to stop an approved stated electrical inspection.

One has to wonder what is going on behind closed doors up at city hall.....


GreenMan