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NEWCASTLE EDITION Vol. 75 · # 8 Wednesday, February 29, 2012 GST Included $1.25 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Developer spins turbine project Energy developer Charles Edey says he is building wind farms to put food on his table. "This is an investment I chose with a reasonable return for my labours," he told the group of people who swarmed him at last Wednesday's Open House held at the Newcastle Community Centre. T h e Open House was the first of the two mandatory public meetings required for any renewable energy project under the provincial government's Feed in Tariff program or FIT. Edey, President of Leader Resources Services Corp. based in Kincardine, Ontario, is proposing to build four industrial wind turbines in the Port Granby area. Three of the 486 foot, 2.5 megawatt turbines in the project, called Clarington Wind Farm, are on Lancaster Road, south of the railway tracks, the fourth is on Elliott Road between the railway tracks and Concession Road 1. The project encompasses 425 acres of privately owned agricultural land. Facing members of the public strongly opposed to his project Edey told the meeting, "I believe this is the right thing to do, and I'm putting my money where my mouth is." Riding High. Two and a half year-old Dexter Eeuwes test drives the Fire Department pumper, at the Newcastle Recreation Complex on February 18th, as part of the Clarington Public Library Winter WonderLearn event. "You are making a buck, and we are losing a buck," quipped someone in the group surrounding Edey. "You believe this is right for your wallet," said someone else. Eugene Stone, who lives on 13 acres in the Kirby area, asked Edey, "What happens to my property values when one of these things goes up 550 metres from my bedroom. Who is going to make up the difference?" Edey did not dispute the impact on residential property values when industrial wind turbines are built near them. "Nobody denies that property values do go down when one of these things goes up," he stated. "Property values take a dip when that happens." However, the crowd WIND see page 3 What's Inside! Cha-Ching --- Clarington's top earners of 2011 Clarington's $100,000 club has shrunk by three members. The list of municipal employees who earned $100,000 or more was published on Monday, in accordance with provincial legislation. This year the list contained 45 names, three less than last year. Topping the list is Clarington's Chief Administrative Officer, Frank Wu, who earned $233,635 last year. Second on the list, edging out Director of Corporate Services Marie Marano, is Municipal Solicitor Andy Allison, with a salary of $174,776. Allison was hired in 2010. Marano made $1,600 less than Allison in 2011. Sixteen people on the list work for Clarington's Emergency Services. Director of Emergency Services, Gord Weir earned $149,208. There are two Deputy Chiefs on the list, seven Fire Captains, five 1st Class Firefighters and a Fire Prevention Officer. Clarington Mayor, Adrian Foster made the list with a salary of $116,383 in 2011. The Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act enacted in 1996 requires that the municipality annually discloses the names, positions, salaries and taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. On April 1st, the Ministry of Finance will release a compendium of records of all employees in the Province who earn more than $100,000. See Page 6