The Wind Turbine Lawsuit Has Settled:
Let’s Wait for the Terms To Judge It
By Susan M. Halpern
Former Addison Councilmember (1992-1999)
The current council has apparently resolved the wind turbine lawsuit, although terms have yet to be made public. The timing of the settlement is significant and seems positive for Addison, coming on the heels of two significant rulings adverse to Landmark and on the eve of an upcoming trial. One would suspect that Landmark had to have sweetened its offer to Addison, which is welcome news to Addison residents.
Despite this good news, the ex-mayor and his sycophants continue to drive a negative narrative. They claim the current administration is being secretive and must be hiding something. I challenge all of that. It’s not how Mayor Chow and the current council operate. And, I remain confident that the terms of this settlement will be made public once they are finalized and/or the settlement is consummated.
As for the continuing negativity, you have to view it with a grain of salt. After all, it was the prior administration that first approved Landmark’s work and then contracted to pay Landmark six figures to remove the turbines. It was only after those steps were taken that they sued Landmark. These folks were also the architects of the ill-conceived fraud claim, filed without interviewing key witnesses. When those witnesses were finally asked about the facts in their depositions, it became clear that there was no fraud. But rather than own the bad decision to pursue an insupportable claim, these folks attacked the witnesses for their truthful testimony, calling them traitors. Such accusations were unfounded and inappropriate. Truthful testimony is never a problem. No, the real problem was the inexcusable decision to proceed with a fraud claim without knowing the truth. But, as I’ve written many times, the buck has never stopped with these folks.
You also have to realize that a successful resolution of the wind turbine lawsuit is their biggest fear. After all, if this council has indeed negotiated a favorable settlement, these folks will lose their most recent faux election issue. The drum they’ve been beating will disappear and with it, their negative attacks on the current council. Apparently, they find that quite unsettling.
As for me, I trust in the democratic process, particularly now that we have elected officials committed to the seven-member co-equal council established by our Charter. I feel certain that they’ve made good decisions in connection with this lawsuit that they inherited and, as noted, the timing of this settlement seems to bode well for Addison.
I’m hopeful that this development will signal more progress for Addison. But, I’ll wait to hear the terms of the settlement before I make judgments about it.