The Rural Voice, 2005-06, Page 60HURON
Box 429, Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0
519-482-9642 or 1-800-511-1135 Website: www.hcfa.on.ca Email: huron@ofa.on.ca
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
" The Rural Voice is provided to all OFA
Members in Huron County by the HCFA.
Looking at lease options for wind turbines
First Vice -President Walter
Stalenhoef attended a meeting on
Universal Lease Options for Wind
Turbines.
Several farmers in the county have
been working on this for more
information in the past couple of
years. Ted Cowan, OFA researcher, is
in the process of a better type of lease.
At our last Huron County Federation
of Agriculture board meeting a motion
was made to send a letter to OFA
encouraging them to expedite their
costs by sending out a letter to all
counties involved in wind power
discussions asking for financial
assistance from them for lawyer fees.
Points to Consider before signing a
lease:
1. Cost of a lawyer - ask the wind
power company to pay $1500 to cover
the costs of having the agreement
reviewed by your lawyer. If the
business won't pay the costs of such a
fundamental precaution, it is not good
business.
2. Transferability - add a clause that
stipulates that the agreement cannot be
transferred by the wind power
company to any other person or
company.
3. Appearance - add a clause that
prohibits any advertising on the tower.
Add a clause that stipulates that the
paint colour must be agreed upon. Add
a clause that requires that the tower be
painted within six months of the
appearance of any rust or
discolouration.
HCFA OFFICE HOURS
Mondays and Fridays
9 a.m. to 12 noon / 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Please leave a message.
(519) 482-9642 or 1-800-511-1135
FAX (519) 482-1416
4. Building Restrictions - add an
addendum that is a map of the property
that outlines areas where it is agreed
between the farmer and the wind
power company that no new buildings
may be built over a height of 20
metres.
5. Option - set the payment at a
minimum and escalating according to
the value of the land. The minimum
should be $10,000.
6. Option termination - add a clause
that stipulates that the contract is
ended if construction has not started
on a wind tower within six years from
the date of signing or the wind power
company has not renewed its option
for a further four years for a payment
of $20,000.
7. Net Meter Tower - ask that the
company agree to provide the use of
its or its contractor's cranes and crews
for the erection of a net meter wind
tower at an agreed site on the property.
8. Rent - change the clause with
respect to rent so the percentage of
gross income paid to the farmer
increases with the cost of power.
Change the clause with respect to rent
so the percentage of gross income paid
to the farmer starts at five per cent.
9. Insurance - add a clause stipulating
that the wind power company must
MARK THIS DATE!
The Huron County Pork Producers
are hosting a theatre evening at the
Blyth Festival on
Thursday, July 7 - 8:00 p.m.
The Ginkgo Tree - A comedy by
Stratford playwright Lee MacDougall.
There will be a reception in the
Memorial Hall after with a chance to
meet some of the cast.
It is PREFERRED seating - $21 each.
Tickets are first-come, first-served.
Contact Deb Campbell 519-235-1609
or debcampbell@tcc.on.ca
Recent donations from Huron Federation of Agriculture
- $500 to Huron Farm/Home Safety Association - Huron/Perth Ag & Water
Festival, 'reflector tape' kits, smoke detector project, electrical safety project
regarding hydro lines, "Caution Watch for Children" signs.
- $100 to the "Year of the Veteran" celebrations in Goderich.
56 THE RURAL VOICE
produce a certificate of valid insurance
covering liability to the farm and
others each year and that in any event
it assumes full liability for all damage
caused by the wind,tower. •
10. Protect capital value - add a clause
stipulating that the wind power
company agrees to make whole any
losses in re -sale value that might occur
as a result of the lease and/or a wind
tower being in place.
These stipulations and changes add
to the costs of the wind power
company and the wind power
company might choose to go
somewhere else. However, OFA will
work to ensure that all farmers are
aware of these suggestions, so
wherever companies go in Ontario
they will face the same requests. And
if the wind power company chooses to
go away, very little is lost as the
present offers are too low to provide
enough revenue to offset the costs and
loss of farm re -sale value.0
Huron County Federation of Agriculture
BOARD MEETING
Fourth Monday of the Month
8:00 p.m. - Vanastra Office
Members Welcome!
KEEP THIS DATE OPEN!
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Huron County Federation of Agriculture
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Goderich Twp. Hall, Holmesville
Social: 6:30 p.m. Dinner: 7:00 p.m.
Watch this page for further details.
32nd Ontario Pork
Congress
GALA KICK-OFF DINNER
June 18, 2005
Arden Park Hotel - Stratford, ON
Industry Merit Award
Celebration
Entertainment -
Gary Ballagh and The Ballagh Bunch
Reception: 6:30 p.m.
Dinner: 7:00 p.m. $50 per person
Contact Deb Campbell at 519-235-1609