WINCHESTER — The board of selectmen will stand against the
surveying of town property for Kinder Morgan’s proposed natural gas
pipeline, but its members will do so divided.
The board voted 3-2 at its most recent meeting to draft a letter to Kinder Morgan, denying its representatives access to survey town-owned property.
The board voted 3-2 at its most recent meeting to draft a letter to Kinder Morgan, denying its representatives access to survey town-owned property.
Selectmen Chairman
Roberta A. Fraser and members Ken Berthiaume and Jack Marsh Jr. voted in
favor of the motion. Herbert “Chan” Stephens and Theresa G. Sepe
opposed it.
About 25 people attended
the meeting at the Winchester Town Hall, with most of them there to
encourage the selectmen to take a stance against the project.
“I know many of us here
are looking for leadership,” said Rick Horton, a resident and chairman
of the school board. “You are the leaders of this town, and you need to
make a statement and follow through.”
The selectmen’s vote
comes after the majority of residents participating in town meeting last
month approved three petition articles directing town officials to take
certain actions opposing the proposed construction of a pipeline by the
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. LLC, a Kinder Morgan company.
Those actions are to deny
the company and its associates permission to enter town-owned property
to perform surveys; oppose approval of the project by the N.H. Energy
Facility Site Evaluation Committee because the proposal is inconsistent
with the town’s goals of protecting and preserving its aquifers,
drinking water, wetlands and streams; and oppose approval of the project
by the N.H. Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee because the
proposal is inconsistent with the basic tenet of individual property
rights.
The margin of approval for each article ranged from 149 to 183 votes, out of roughly 600 total votes.
The company is proposing a
pipeline to carry natural gas from shale gas fields in Pennsylvania
through upstate New York, part of northern Massachusetts and into
southern New Hampshire before going to a distribution hub in eastern
Massachusetts.
The Monadnock Region communities on the proposed route are Fitzwilliam, Richmond, Rindge, Troy and Winchester.
Selectmen in Fitzwilliam
and Rindge have already taken united stances against allowing Kinder
Morgan to survey property in their towns of the pipeline, and supported
other anti-pipeline warrant articles voters approved last month.
Before the Winchester
selectmen voted on April 1, board members engaged in about 20 minutes of
heated debate among themselves and with some audience members about
whether the selectmen should take a position on the entire project.
Sepe and Stephens said
they needed more information about the project to make a decision, while
Berthiaume, Fraser and Marsh said they needed to stand behind town
meeting’s approval of three anti-pipeline warrant articles last month.
The debate escalated to a
shouting match at one point, with Sepe defending her position to
anti-pipeline audience members that selectmen don’t have all the
information yet to take a stance on the project.
Sepe said she and her
family live less than 300 feet from the pipeline, but she hasn’t made a
decision yet about the project because she doesn’t feel she has all the
information.
In addition, she said she believes it’s important to separate her personal opinions from her role as a selectman.
“I want to get more information. That is just how I feel. If you don’t like it, too bad, that is how I feel,” she said.
The only action Sepe said
she’d agree to is selectmen writing a letter to Kinder Morgan saying
that voters approved the three anti-pipeline warrant articles, and
including the wording of the articles.
Horton said he was disappointed that Sepe feels as she does about the matter.
Fraser said selectmen should take a stand against the proposed pipeline.
“As the governing body of the town of Winchester, we have a responsibility to carry out the voters’ wishes,” she said.
Toward the end of the
debate, Stephens said selectmen would meet with Kinder Morgan officials
at the end of this month, but didn’t have a specific date.
Marsh then made a motion to draft a letter to Kinder Morgan to deny its representatives access to town-owned property.
He had just gotten a few words into it, when applause and cheers erupted from pipeline opponents.
After the vote, some
residents spoke for and against the pipeline, including Bill McGrath who
said he was concerned the town could get slapped with a lawsuit because
one of the anti-pipeline warrant articles goes against state law.
Fraser confirmed that one of the articles isn’t legally enforceable.
The article they were referring to was about not allowing Kinder Morgan representatives to survey town-owned property.
Resident Ronald W. Croteau said the town has to fight the project.
“It’s not going to help
the state of New Hampshire one iota, or the town of Winchester,” he
said. “It’s going to deface our town.”
Meghan Foley can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1436, or mfoley@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @MFoleyKS.
6 comments:
I hope and pray that Kinder-Morgan sues all these towns for obstructionism serves them all right. I also do not want the pipe line but to block them access is beyond me. I hope they sue and win, and yes I will have to pay for their winnings!!!!
To Anonymous at 7:29am. WHAT and WHY?? The towns will NOT benefit one iota from K-M's invasion.
Tell that to the people who are served by Berkshire Gas Co. They can not add another customer due to lack of gas. So the pipeline should be built in Massachusetts for they are the ones going to use the gas!!!!
Dennis Murphy, Town Moderator advised he had come to the meeting with a heavy heart; it was disturbing for him. Feels there needs to be a line between the anti-pipe line people and School Board members. Advised he was asked to bring questions to the Board regarding the following:
*Use of Robo Call for Pipe Line issue.
J. Lewis advised it was used to remind people to vote, not for the pipe line.
*Use of school postage and mailing supplies. The Board signed the letter that when out to Town Committees regarding the pipe line.
E. Jackson advised it was School Board business.
*”Illegal meeting” – Some people construed there to be a meeting as there were three School Board members outside the polls. Dennis Murphy feels the lines are blurred between what is anti-pipe line and what is School Board. Advised he
talked to the Deputy Secretary of State who advised there was nothing illegal. Wants people to perceive everything as positive.
E. Jackson feels those are pretty serious allegations. Asked Dennis Murphy how many people came to him?
Dennis Murphy advised eight.
E. Jackson and there were 651 there?
E. Jackson – Is it not my legal right to campaign for what I believe in? They came to you after the vote was over.
E. Jackson doesn’t remember having three Board members there.
Dennis Murphy advised he is only hearing it after the fact; wishes he heard before. Advised he didn’t see three Board members.
Dennis Murphy read from a print out.
E. Jackson asked for a copy.
Dennis Murphy advised it is not a letter, just his notes.
R. Horton advised the Board is very aware of what a quorum is. Three Board members live on the same street; their kids are in school together. It would make sense that they could be together. Advised he is upset that Dennis Murphy is here with allegations.
Dennis Murphy advised he is not here with allegations. Others didn’t want to come in; didn’t know why.
E. Jackson asked if the other issue that was brought to your attention, was that brought to the attention of public officials?
Dennis Murphy – Yes.
E. Jackson – Was it in the minutes?
Dennis Murphy – No. Advised it wasn’t just Bill McGrath who said it.
Dennis Murphy advised people were unhappy with the van, the tent and the amount of space taken up. It would have been a lot easier for him if he heard before that there were three Board members out there.
E. Jackson feels in the future Dennis Murphy should direct the individuals to handle the situation themselves or advise them to put something in writing.
E. Jackson advised at least three members were anti-pipeline and the letter sent to Committees was signed by the whole Board.
Dennis Murphy feels the perception is cloudy.
R. Horton advised it will be taken under advisement.
E. Jackson advised Dennis Murphy to let people know if they have a problem, to come to the Board.
E. Jackson her personal opinion is that they wouldn’t have said something if they didn’t have an issue with the outcome of the vote.
E. Jackson – Would think people with decision-making ability should have come to us.
R. Horton – This Board feels confident that they absolutely worked within the guidelines they have in place as a Board.
Dennis Murphy advised he was sorry to bring it up.
Get rid of the hot dogs and put on your big boy/girl panties and make a decision. The school board has no business spewing off about the pipeline. They need to be concerned about education, too many paras with declining enrollment, the high cost of education at Keene High and how come our children have to be retested when they enter Keene High. Face the facts people our children have excellent educators here and if they are not coded why should they all be tested again. Food for thought "Does Keene need the money to support their education system?" You bet and why the hell should we pay for it?
Boards of ALL types are taking official stands against the pipeline all across NE not just Winchester. Three Boards have taken a stand against in Winchester. All 18 towns in NH on the proposed route have taken stands in official capacities. Governors, Mayors, in all NE states are fighting KM. Why shouldn't the School Board take a stand to protect their kids???
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