Another Conflict For Laura Johnson McNish

Does everyone in Marshall County, Kansas think that Laura Johnson-McNish, the county attorney, truly represents Marshall County? In light of the Grain Belt Express, to which quite a few Marshall County residents objected, here is some data that was never offered: click on this link to see a picture of someone rather closely connected to Johnson-McNish. Scroll down the page and look at the pictures of the board of directors. You will see a picture of someone possessing a strong familial connection to Johnson-McNish. With a family member serving on the board of directors of the Energy Bar, will Johnson-McNish still truly represent Marshall County if she finds herself at cross purposes with the intentions of the Energy Bar? As we know already, Johnson-McNish is owned by the Republican Party in Kansas. We can expect the Koch Brothers and their ilk to control all of her decisions.

I know, I know. He represents Texas, not Kansas. It's just that his statement is so typical of Republican rhetoric. It never ceases to amaze me that people actually accept this type of reasoning, and the unfortunate accompanying voting record, from their elected representatives. As long as we have folks like Joe Barton in office, wind will not be a "finite resource" and it will never slow down!

Laura McNish Strikes Again

Laura McNish strikes again! Or maybe not. According to the Marysville Advocate, she has finally gotten around to filing a petition before Kansas Corperation Commission about a project by Clean Line Energy called the Grain Belt Express. This petition is to express concerns of the landowners in Marshall County, Kansas, who will be affected in many ways by this budding enterprise. Many objections have been voiced, from the possible incompatibility of transport of direct current in places that already transport alternating current, to property owners losing their land to eminent domain.

Eminent domain is a process that is generally used as a means of compensating owners of real estate for property that must be bought and used by the government or the community for the benefit of the public and the community. Clean Line Energy is a private enterprise, and none of the direct current transported by the Grain Belt Express will benefit Kansans, particularly in Marshall County. In fact, it appears that Kansas simply wants to confiscate land from unwilling property owners, giving them nothing more than "conscience money"........not anywhere near market value......to go ahead and make a quick buck by selling it to Clean Line Energy.

The Grain Belt Express has been in the works since July of 2010, which, ironically; is when Laura McNish was appointed to serve as council to Marshall County, Kansas. Why did she wait until now to address the concerns of those whose properties and whose livelihoods will be affected by the Grain Belt Express? August 30 was last day to file a petition: why did she not file before then? Hearings to answer questions about direct current and alternating current, and the requirements involved for both, have been in progress since 2010. While Clean Line Energy is overly optimistic about the engineering aspect, it is downright insensitive to the desires of the farmers and other landowners, all of whom would have appreciated the opportunity to voice their concerns much earlier. During a recent meeting with Clean Line representatives and Marshall County residents, McNish appeared either weak, or resigned to the defeat of her constiuents' goals. Could she have gotten Marshall County's voices heard in a more timely and efficient manner? Was it possible to inform residents of Marshall County before the eleventh hour? Does Laura McNish truly represent Marshall County?