The pitchfork people prevailed

To the Editor:

Last summer, I learned that a group of dedicated Knox citizens was putting together a grant application in response to the State of New York’s offer of up to $100,000 for infrastructure improvements to reduce the town’s energy use. I was honored when the group asked me to compile benchmarking data for energy use by town facilities to allow monitoring of energy use reduction.

I agreed to volunteer in this effort, feeling proud that I could do something positive to reduce fossil-fuel usage while also obtaining money that could be used to upgrade some of the town’s old or deteriorating buildings.

As explained in several articles and letters published previously in The Enterprise, application for grant funding is dependent on achieving state-defined “action items,” one of which is installation of an electric-vehicle charging station in town. Presumably, the state believes the residents of New York would benefit from a network of charging stations so that more people would be encouraged to use electric cars.

A few weeks back, the Knox Town Board approved submission of a grant application to help pay for installation of the charging station. Councilwoman Amy Pokorny submitted the application and secured funding for 80 percent of the cost of the station (as well as separate funding for most or all of the rest of the cost).

Installation of the charging station was brought to the town board for approval at its Feb. 14 meeting. Imagine my dismay and chagrin when a small mob of audience members began shouting their objection not only to installation of the charging station but to the existence of the grant-preparation group itself.

After quickly looking around the room to see if there were any burning torches or pitchforks being held aloft, I sat in stunned disbelief. Who were these people? In their alternative universe, it seems the validity of a statement can be judged only by the volume and anger with which it is spoken.

While there was some good discussion on the merits of the proposal by certain members of the audience, the indignant crowd proceeded to go ballistic and demand the names of the individuals working on the grant proposal. Then they drowned out Councilwoman Pokorny as she attempted to list the participants.

A man in the back row, shouting loud enough to rattle the window panes, said that he didn’t want the $100,000 — several members of the mob chimed in to agree with him.

Well, ultimately the pitchfork people prevailed as board members who had supported the charging-station grant application would not even let the motion come up for a vote. I support open and intelligent debate on the issues and I pray that this sort of belligerent spectacle does not become the standard by which the Knox Town Board bases its decisions. It was shameful and embarrassing. I know that Knox is better than that.

Rich Weltzin

Knox

Editor’s note: Rich Weltzin is married to Dee Woessner, a member of the Knox Conservation Advisory Council.

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