Peters complains that commissioners Lachelt and Westendorff have involved the county in draconian rules and regulations against extractive industries. Apparently he feels they should have repealed the regulations put into place by past commissioners and used by residents to protect their air, water, private property rights and their right to use and enjoy their homes. Peters states that Gwen Lachelt founded the “radical environmental organization, Earthworks.” Earthworks “stands for clean air, water and land, healthy communities and corporate accountability,” according to its website. Radical?

Lachelt can and has done many wonderful things, but start a national, long-term nonprofit? No – not yet anyway! Peters appears to belong to the lingering fringe of “good ole boys.” One of the identifying signs of this group is its reliance on the same ancient rhetoric it has used for years. The “other side” is always destroying jobs, driving the industries away with rules and regulations. But never do they tell us what rules or why and how. Never do we know what industries do not come. All of their talk has surrounded us for years and yet we have more than 3,000 coal bed methane wells, drilled in the last 30-plus years.

Westendorff and Lachelt take their positions very seriously – they do not roam around the county thinking to enact new rules for the fun of it. Instead they respond to the needs and requests of the people living here. They need our support at election time.

Theresa Fitzgerald

Bayfield