Through our lives we develop friendships with folks who have a knack for helping people out from time to time, like Justin Case and Nimby.
Both are distant cousins of one another. Where Justin Case is called upon in the hopes he’s never needed, we call upon Nimby whenever our neighbor starts upon something you don’t want to be around. One is proactive, and overtly subtle. One is reactive, and often times public.
Of course, “Justin Case” is a play on the phrase “just in case” we all utter in our cautious moments pertaining to money, home or family. Nimby, one the other hand, is just a nickname for the approach we have when something new comes to town, and we don’t want to see it, “Not in my back yard.”
Colonie officials have made it clear they don’t want to see the continuation of rundown motels operating within their town. Two in particular, Skylane and Blu-Bell, have occupied headlines in the paper for more than a year, and the pictures associated with the stories have inspired action. Laws were changed, and as of this week, the town ordered the owner of both establishment to tear them down in lieu of paying fines exceeding $750,000.
No one wants to see such conditions, let alone having someone live there. It’s an ugly chapter everyone is eager to see closed.
However, the drama surrounding a proposed National Grid substation on Van Dyke Road continues on and has opponents drawing concerns that mirror those from the turn of the century.
National Grid wishes to construct a substation within a mile from Eagle Elementary, something of which school officials are less than happy with. Health and safety concerns for our children are at the forefront. Though the utility company has owned the land for nearly half a century, it must go through the protocol of obtaining a use variance through town. That process involves hearing from neighbors and concerned residents, and in walks NIMBY.
Electricity was strung through our towns a century ago, and then people worried about the safety over being shocked or starting fires. Today, our everyday lives depend on this power. And, when and ill-opportune brown out turns off our air conditioners in August, it’s promptly followed by an angry phone call.
Concerns with safety are admirable, but far from plausible when taking into consideration the electricity we allow to stream within our walls, or the questionable exposure we accept when operating a smartphone. There’s also the seven substations already located in town. Residents may forget the one located on Feura Bush Road in Glenmont, or be surprised to see the one on Adams Street from the Rail Trail. Each have been there for decades. Few, if any, residents protest of their existence. Both are a stone’s throw away from homes and businesses; closer than where the proposed station will be to the school. This substation should not be put off just in case of a catastrophic event we can’t yet identify.
