Solar farm decision was ‘done deal’

Published 6:10 pm Friday, July 23, 2021

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To the editor:

Mr. Mayor,

I want to start by saying how excited I was when you won the election to become mayor of Suffolk. I really believed you would be a positive influence and our city would make more intelligent decisions for our citizens and the future of Suffolk.

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The decision to locate a solar farm on a main thoroughfare in our city was ill thought out, not prepared for and done with incomplete information. The citizens of Holland that voted for you were not informed. The location is creating a huge eyesore for the Holland community as well as the visitors traveling through Suffolk.

This deal has all the earmarks of being a “done deal” before council even met.

Ask yourself if this is the type of project you want in your front yard or even close to your neighborhood. I own the historic home and farm less than one half-mile from this site on Route 58 and have refused many offers for solar projects because of the unsightly appearance of these areas as well as the fact that crop farming is the standard for Suffolk, fresh air, and food for the world, not to mention the beauty of green living areas in our lives.

Words cannot express how devastated the Holland community is with this decision. It reeks of illegal activity by you and members of the council.

Please, look into the future, vet the company, verify access routes, and consult the people who voted for you before destroying the beauty of our city.

If there is any way you and council can revisit this item, please do so and inform the parties affected so that we may express the desires that our tax dollars afford us.

Please give this some serious thought. I remain sincerely upset.

Kathryn Holland 

Suffolk