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Peoples column

People’s column

Decommissioning turbines is costly proposition Editor, OBSERVER: Our financially strapped towns and land leasers must not expect debt-ridden NYS [or anyone] to bail them out for insufficient decommissioning funds for end-of-life wind and solar projects. Reported decommissioning costs are highly speculative, poorly understood and depend on the project’s design, location, the specific time of decommissioning and variations in disposal and recycling methods. Published in August 2025, the report titled “Assessment of Decommissioning Costs and Financing Models for Onshore Wind ...

People’s column

Do not discount advances in BESS Editor, OBSERVER: In regard to the piece with the headline “BESS catastrophe can be prevented” that was published last month in the OBSERVER, I do have some concerns. First, the author writes about lithium ion BESS projects and their myriad dangers. Grid scale Li- ion BESS projects began operating about 15 to 20 years ago. In searching for Li-ion BESS failures in general, a study, “Safety Aspects of Stationary Battery Energy Storage Systems,” tracked stationary BESS failures (fires, explosions, etc.). The report mentioned about 10 BESS ...

People’s column

Water’s draining toll for village Editor, OBSERVER: I would like to quote from a commentary in the Oct. 1 OBSERVER: “Fredonia’s water decision has sadly produced division and heated debate among village residents and water customers. There is a great deal of misinformation being spread and lots of finger pointing and disrespectful name calling.” I would encourage the writer, a reservoir supporter, to take a look in the mirror at his own behavior at the village board meetings. I am disappointed that this issue has caused so much hate and verbal abuse of our trustees and ...

People’s column

Benefit brings outpouring of ‘love’ Editor, OBSERVER: The friends of Annemarie Johnston wish to express their gratitude to all who made the benefit for her family such a great success. Sister Corona and St. Columban’s on the Lake donated food, The Conservation Club provided the venue and Dunkirk Rocks painted “Feel the Love” rocks to promote the event. Beyond that, the generosity of so many area merchants contributing to the raffles and the music of One Boomer made for a wonderful afternoon, celebrating a friend, colleague, wife and mother. Finally, thanks to ...

People’s column

One way to rein in spending Editor, OBSERVER: On Aug. 12, the OBSERVER had a story about Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and his prediction and projection of a huge budgetary shortfall over the next several years. May I make a suggestion that would relieve some, not all, of the difficulty. The simplest way to say it is “cut the reimbursement aid ratio for school capital building projects.” The current ratios are irresponsibly generous to the point that they encourage extravagant boondoggle. They are irresponsibly generous to the point they encourage the building of monuments to ...

People’s column

Being ready for coming election Editor, OBSERVER: The general election is just weeks away — make sure your voice is heard! Too often, people think elections only matter in high-profile races, but here in Chautauqua County, your ballot also includes vital contests for local offices. These decisions affect how our tax dollars are spent, and the services we rely on every day. Local elections are frequently decided by just a few votes — sometimes even one. That’s why confirming your voter registration today is so important. If you’ve moved, changed your name, or haven’t ...