How can it be the same?

Submitted by AnneBritton on Fri, 09/29/2006 - 10:29am. Franklin County | Social & Environmental

Brandon, New York, USA

September 20, 2006

At a regular town board meeting; after the meeting was called to order, the roll call and Pledge of Allegiance, Councilman Jay Ulrich opened the meeting with a statement.

It was very emotional. The crowd of near 100 people listened with intensity. Jay was commended more than once for his courage. Devastating to those of us who realize how invaluable Councilman Ulrich is to the Town of Brandon.

The public statement was an accounting of a conversation between himself and Supervisor, Michael Lawrence which took place on Supervisor Lawrence's front porch on September 6th, 2006.

The statement began by saying that Michael Lawrence had accused Jay of being offered a bribe from Noble Environmental Power and accepting it. Jay asked Michael to call the State Police and report it. Michael declined and went on to say that he too had been offered a bribe from Noble Environmental Power.

Jays concerns included the loss of friendship, devastation to his family, and loss of integrity in the Town of Brandon and an embarrassment to the town and Town Board by Michael. He later expressed that the relationships in the community are "sacred."

Michael responded with an apology to Jay and Noble. Nothing elaborate. Just, " I apologize to you and to Noble."

We all know that these have all diminished at the hands of Noble Environmental Power's invasion of our town which is no longer a community. There was no community Christmas Party last year....an annual tradition as long as I can remember. Their was no community yard sale weekend....there were no community events since this invasion.

At the end of the meeting, I stood up and spoke. I asked how can people say there are no negative impacts of wind farms? One of the most important was just demonstrated in real life, right here at home. Michael and Jay were once very close friends. The things that persons with morals and ethics value more than anything are gone forever in the town of Brandon. A town of 500 people, totally divided.

Anne Britton
Brandon Resident and no longer proud to be.

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Anne, for those of us not at

Submitted by Visitor on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 10:09am.

Anne, for those of us not at the meeting - can you provide color as to why Michael didn't report this to the police and why he apologized to both Jay and to Noble? Seems to the average reader that Michael apologized because nothing actually happened.

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At a more recent meeting

Submitted by annie12966 on Mon, 01/08/2007 - 10:26pm.

At a more recent meeting Michael explained that he apologized because the attorney advised him not to go into detail. Michael can tell you what happened. Give him a call, I did. I don't know who you are or what you want to know. If you want to discuss anything personal you'll have to contact me in person.

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Mike was advised by the town

Submitted by AnneBritton on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 9:20pm.

Mike was advised by the town attorney to apologize to both parties and not read his coments. Mike did receive a blacl leather pouch from a Noble Officer but said. "I did not open it, but assumed it was full of cash, but returned it the next morning." He also told me that he would deny this conversation with me ever took place. Since then he has told two other people that have come to me. Jay would not have put this into public record had it never happened. He is much smarted than that. Furthermore as much as Jay hated the site at Tug Hill, he is now siding with the developer. Something is not kosher.

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