PONTIAC - A recent survey distributed to select residents in eastern Livingston County about a proposed wind farm has landed one board member in political hot water.

New board member Judy Campbell, who previously criticized wind farms in principle as a private citizen, recently hand-delivered 46 surveys to people living in southern Broughton and northern Sullivan Townships. It asked about the K4 Wind Farm proposed by Vision Energy, an Ohio-based wind farm developer.

County Board Chairman Bill Fairfield said the board should have been notified before the survey was sent so it could go through proper channels. He said it is important for board members to remain publicly impartial until all the findings from the permit process are presented.

Campbell called Fairfield's reaction "emotional" and "a prime example of knee-jerk, closed door policy."

She said the survey is "part of my duty to the voters" to gather facts about concerns the public may have on the issue.

Fairfield said the K4 Wind Farm remains under review, and public hearing dates have not been set. Livingston County would get about 75 wind turbines as part of a 300-turbine project that would extend into Kankakee, Ford, and Iroquois counties.

In the survey, Campbell asked people if they: were aware of the project; thought the county should require the developer to guarantee property values in the wind farm area; have received information on noise and electrical pollution, television reception and other issues; and considered the importance of the view to their property.

In the letter, Campbell listed herself as a member of the board and gave the phone number of the County Board office as a way to contact her.

Fairfield said Campbell has the right to distribute a survey, but it should not have included references to the County Board.

"If she wants to send it out then that is fine, but this office should have been contacted," Fairfield said. "I've talked with several other board members about this and they agree."

Campbell said it is no secret that she has opposed wind farms in the past, calling them "a plight" and "junk" during a press conference Monday. She also said they don't work and impede economic development.

However, Campbell, who was elected to the board in November, said that she will try to remain impartial now that she is an elected official.

"I live in the west side of the county and didn't know anybody in the area, so I thought 'Why not find out what they think?'" Campbell said. "This will give me another layer of information."