April 10, 2018 at 12:43 a.m.
Wind farm is hot topic
Crowd of more than 100 shows up to discuss proposed project
Wind farm is hot topic
Interest in the topic of a potential new wind farm in Jay County was significant enough Monday to require a change of venue.
A crowd of more than 100 was on hand at the Jay County Commissioners meeting to discuss the issue, causing a shift from the commissioners' room on the second floor of the courthouse to the auditorium one floor below.
Commissioners also heard an update on county paving plans for the year and discussed solutions for last week’s collapse of a section of the north bank of the Salamonie River.
Because Monday was the commissioners regular meeting rather than a public hearing, comments on the proposed wind farm project were limited to those from Jeff and Sheila Birsfield, who had made arrangements ahead of time to be on the agenda. They spoke for about 18 minutes about their concerns, which focused on land values, health issues and danger to wildlife, regarding a potential wind farm project in Jefferson and Richland Townships being pursued by Scout Clean Energy.
“I’m not opposed to the concept of renewable, clean energy, but I’m specifically against the use of wind turbines built near homes,” Jeff Birsfield said.
The Birsfields, who live on county road 350 South in Jefferson Township, cited sources that say property values drop as a result of proximity to wind turbines. They also expressed concerns about quality-of-life issues because of noise, lights and shadows from the turbines.
They also talked about the potential impact on wildlife, such as bats and bald eagles.
And they cited health concerns, citing reports of fatigue, headaches and other symptoms in connection with “Wind Turbine Syndrome.”
They also mentioned problems with the turbines interfering with cell phone and TV signals, and commented that they have heard from Randolph County residents about payments to landowners not being made, drainage tiles not being replaced and roads not being properly fixed.
Jay County has a road use agreement in place that requires that roads be rebuilt in as-good-as or better shape than they were prior to construction. Road work in connection to Bluff Point Wind Energy Center, which was built last year, is expected to be complete by the end of May.
Following their comments, county attorney Bill Hinkle outlined what the process toward the construction of a wind farm would involve. Those steps include:
•Informational meetings with county commissioners and council. (Those have already begun.)
•Turning in a development plan to Jay/Portland Building and Planning.
•Review of the development plan by the building and planning department to check that it complies with the county’s zoning ordinance.
•Submission for approval by the plan commission based on the county’s ordinance. (This would include a public hearing.)
•Application for permits to determine exactly where wind turbines would be located.
The proposed project — Bitter Ridge Wind Farm — from Colorado-based Scout Clean Energy is expected to involve a $135 million investment. (Bluff Point Wind Energy Center was a $200 million project, about two-thirds of which was in Jay County.) Bitter Ridge began purchasing easements on property in Jefferson and Richland townships late last year.
Before commissioners Chuck Huffman, Mike Leonhard and Barry Hudson continued with other business, Michael Garringer, who lives on Como Road in Jefferson Township, urged those in attendance to fight the proposed wind farm.
“If we set here and go through the process, it’ll get shoved down our throats,” he said. “We have to stand up. We need to get a lawyer and say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna sue.’”
As part of the drainage board meeting, county surveyor Brad Daniels discussed needed maintenance along the Salamonie River bank after about a 60-foot section between Meridian and Wayne streets in Portland collapsed into the river Friday morning.
Daniels said county crews will need to wait until the weather dries out enough that the bank is stable in order to do any work in the area. He said plans will include rebuilding the bank and placing riprap — large, loose stone — along the bank in order to help stabilize it. (Riprap has already been used along the south side of the same section of the river.)
County engineer Dan Watson updated commissioners and plans for re-paving roads in the county this year.
About 11 miles are set for new overlays this year, with 6.5 miles of that involving Boundary Pike between Portland’s southern city limits and county road 300 East. Also included is a section of county road 300 East in southern Jay County, county road 500 West between Indiana 26 and county road 200 South and Scheffer Acres East. There will also be some spot paving.
The total cost of the paving is expected to come in around $1.4 million, with funding to come out of local option income tax dollars, the local road and street fund and the highway department budget.
Watson noted that no paving was done last year as he let funds build up in order to be able to afford the scheduled projects.
In other business, commissioners:
•Told county highway superintendent Ken Wellman they’d like the roadside area within 500 feet of all intersections to be kept mowed as a safety precaution. They asked him to make a recommendation about equipment and staffing needs in order to meet that need.
Wellman reported that a recent traffic study on county road 300 East, south of Indiana 26, showed 66 percent of drivers exceed the speed limit. Commissioners asked him to set up counters to collect data on county road 300 north, east of the state line.
Wellman also requested help from commissioners with encouraging the removal of trash from the right-of-way at 2978 W. 850 North. Hinkle was asked to send the property owner a letter regarding that request.
•Agreed to provide $15,000 from the Wehrly Ditch fund as the county’s contribution to a project to improve drainage in the area around U.S. 27 just north of Portland. The City of Portland, property owner Minnich Farms and Indiana Department of Transportation are also participating financially in the project.
•Was updated by Hudson about regional sewer district plans. The district board was scheduled to meet Monday night and hoped to delay a rate increase that is supposed to go into effect May 1 to instead become effective Aug. 1. Jay County Council last week formed a committee, on which Hudson will serve, that is tasked with trying to find a way to provide financial relief to the sewer district’s 74 customers.
•Heard a request from Greg Miller and Brent Geesaman for a section of county road 500 north, east of Indiana 1, to be converted from stone to pavement. Miller noted that there are five homes in a span of about 0.7 miles west of Indiana 1 in addition to Helena Chemical. Commissioners told the men that a road study committee had created priorities for conversion in 2016 and said they would check that document to find out where that section of county road 500 North fell on the list.
•Heard a proposal from Jay Emergency Medical Service shift supervisors to enter a service agreement with Stryker for upkeep of patient cots. The three-year agreement would come at a cost of $6,568 annually. Commissioners asked for clarification about what exactly the service agreement would cover and will review it again at a future meeting.
•Formally approved restoring another penny to the county’s cumulative bridge fund next year following a public hearing that went without comment. Currently, the rate is 3.5 cents. It would go to 4.5 cents if approved when the 2019 budget is finalized.
•Approved funds to allow auditor Anna Culy to stay in Fort Wayne while attending an auditor’s conference.
•Authorized Patty Davis and Amanda Cox to be signers on social security payee accounts for residents at Jay County Retirement Center and for new jail matron Dawn Edwards to sign bank statements for the jail.
•Discussed pending police vehicle purchases with Sheriff Dwane Ford, including whether to purchase Ford or Dodge vehicles. Commissioners asked for additional information, including details about warranties, and for Ford to return with specific quotes.
They also talked about the possibility of painting or weather coating Jay County Jail. Ford said he only has one of the three quotes he requested for the work and will return with a full list of options at the April 23 meeting.
•Denied a request for two weeks of vacation pay for a Community Corrections employee. Commissioners followed the recommendation of the county’s personnel committee, which determined that the supervisor had followed county policy in denying the vacation pay.
•Forwarded a letter dated April 3 to Ford regarding a sexual harassment complaint at Jay County Jail.
A crowd of more than 100 was on hand at the Jay County Commissioners meeting to discuss the issue, causing a shift from the commissioners' room on the second floor of the courthouse to the auditorium one floor below.
Commissioners also heard an update on county paving plans for the year and discussed solutions for last week’s collapse of a section of the north bank of the Salamonie River.
Because Monday was the commissioners regular meeting rather than a public hearing, comments on the proposed wind farm project were limited to those from Jeff and Sheila Birsfield, who had made arrangements ahead of time to be on the agenda. They spoke for about 18 minutes about their concerns, which focused on land values, health issues and danger to wildlife, regarding a potential wind farm project in Jefferson and Richland Townships being pursued by Scout Clean Energy.
“I’m not opposed to the concept of renewable, clean energy, but I’m specifically against the use of wind turbines built near homes,” Jeff Birsfield said.
The Birsfields, who live on county road 350 South in Jefferson Township, cited sources that say property values drop as a result of proximity to wind turbines. They also expressed concerns about quality-of-life issues because of noise, lights and shadows from the turbines.
They also talked about the potential impact on wildlife, such as bats and bald eagles.
And they cited health concerns, citing reports of fatigue, headaches and other symptoms in connection with “Wind Turbine Syndrome.”
They also mentioned problems with the turbines interfering with cell phone and TV signals, and commented that they have heard from Randolph County residents about payments to landowners not being made, drainage tiles not being replaced and roads not being properly fixed.
Jay County has a road use agreement in place that requires that roads be rebuilt in as-good-as or better shape than they were prior to construction. Road work in connection to Bluff Point Wind Energy Center, which was built last year, is expected to be complete by the end of May.
Following their comments, county attorney Bill Hinkle outlined what the process toward the construction of a wind farm would involve. Those steps include:
•Informational meetings with county commissioners and council. (Those have already begun.)
•Turning in a development plan to Jay/Portland Building and Planning.
•Review of the development plan by the building and planning department to check that it complies with the county’s zoning ordinance.
•Submission for approval by the plan commission based on the county’s ordinance. (This would include a public hearing.)
•Application for permits to determine exactly where wind turbines would be located.
The proposed project — Bitter Ridge Wind Farm — from Colorado-based Scout Clean Energy is expected to involve a $135 million investment. (Bluff Point Wind Energy Center was a $200 million project, about two-thirds of which was in Jay County.) Bitter Ridge began purchasing easements on property in Jefferson and Richland townships late last year.
Before commissioners Chuck Huffman, Mike Leonhard and Barry Hudson continued with other business, Michael Garringer, who lives on Como Road in Jefferson Township, urged those in attendance to fight the proposed wind farm.
“If we set here and go through the process, it’ll get shoved down our throats,” he said. “We have to stand up. We need to get a lawyer and say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna sue.’”
As part of the drainage board meeting, county surveyor Brad Daniels discussed needed maintenance along the Salamonie River bank after about a 60-foot section between Meridian and Wayne streets in Portland collapsed into the river Friday morning.
Daniels said county crews will need to wait until the weather dries out enough that the bank is stable in order to do any work in the area. He said plans will include rebuilding the bank and placing riprap — large, loose stone — along the bank in order to help stabilize it. (Riprap has already been used along the south side of the same section of the river.)
County engineer Dan Watson updated commissioners and plans for re-paving roads in the county this year.
About 11 miles are set for new overlays this year, with 6.5 miles of that involving Boundary Pike between Portland’s southern city limits and county road 300 East. Also included is a section of county road 300 East in southern Jay County, county road 500 West between Indiana 26 and county road 200 South and Scheffer Acres East. There will also be some spot paving.
The total cost of the paving is expected to come in around $1.4 million, with funding to come out of local option income tax dollars, the local road and street fund and the highway department budget.
Watson noted that no paving was done last year as he let funds build up in order to be able to afford the scheduled projects.
In other business, commissioners:
•Told county highway superintendent Ken Wellman they’d like the roadside area within 500 feet of all intersections to be kept mowed as a safety precaution. They asked him to make a recommendation about equipment and staffing needs in order to meet that need.
Wellman reported that a recent traffic study on county road 300 East, south of Indiana 26, showed 66 percent of drivers exceed the speed limit. Commissioners asked him to set up counters to collect data on county road 300 north, east of the state line.
Wellman also requested help from commissioners with encouraging the removal of trash from the right-of-way at 2978 W. 850 North. Hinkle was asked to send the property owner a letter regarding that request.
•Agreed to provide $15,000 from the Wehrly Ditch fund as the county’s contribution to a project to improve drainage in the area around U.S. 27 just north of Portland. The City of Portland, property owner Minnich Farms and Indiana Department of Transportation are also participating financially in the project.
•Was updated by Hudson about regional sewer district plans. The district board was scheduled to meet Monday night and hoped to delay a rate increase that is supposed to go into effect May 1 to instead become effective Aug. 1. Jay County Council last week formed a committee, on which Hudson will serve, that is tasked with trying to find a way to provide financial relief to the sewer district’s 74 customers.
•Heard a request from Greg Miller and Brent Geesaman for a section of county road 500 north, east of Indiana 1, to be converted from stone to pavement. Miller noted that there are five homes in a span of about 0.7 miles west of Indiana 1 in addition to Helena Chemical. Commissioners told the men that a road study committee had created priorities for conversion in 2016 and said they would check that document to find out where that section of county road 500 North fell on the list.
•Heard a proposal from Jay Emergency Medical Service shift supervisors to enter a service agreement with Stryker for upkeep of patient cots. The three-year agreement would come at a cost of $6,568 annually. Commissioners asked for clarification about what exactly the service agreement would cover and will review it again at a future meeting.
•Formally approved restoring another penny to the county’s cumulative bridge fund next year following a public hearing that went without comment. Currently, the rate is 3.5 cents. It would go to 4.5 cents if approved when the 2019 budget is finalized.
•Approved funds to allow auditor Anna Culy to stay in Fort Wayne while attending an auditor’s conference.
•Authorized Patty Davis and Amanda Cox to be signers on social security payee accounts for residents at Jay County Retirement Center and for new jail matron Dawn Edwards to sign bank statements for the jail.
•Discussed pending police vehicle purchases with Sheriff Dwane Ford, including whether to purchase Ford or Dodge vehicles. Commissioners asked for additional information, including details about warranties, and for Ford to return with specific quotes.
They also talked about the possibility of painting or weather coating Jay County Jail. Ford said he only has one of the three quotes he requested for the work and will return with a full list of options at the April 23 meeting.
•Denied a request for two weeks of vacation pay for a Community Corrections employee. Commissioners followed the recommendation of the county’s personnel committee, which determined that the supervisor had followed county policy in denying the vacation pay.
•Forwarded a letter dated April 3 to Ford regarding a sexual harassment complaint at Jay County Jail.
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