April 24, 2018 at 4:49 p.m.
Changes requested
Wind farm foes ask for a moratorium
Opponents of a proposed new wind farm will urge the Jay County Planning Commission to change its rules in order to prevent the project from going forward.
They may also ask that a moratorium on new wind farms be put in place until the regulations can be re-written.
“You need to grasp what we are feeling out here in the community,” Mike Garringer told Jay County Commissioners on Monday. “I don’t think we’ll be able to attract people to a rural community. … We’re surrounded by windmills. We’re surrounded by CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations).”
Garringer was one of about 60 people on hand for Monday’s meeting to voice their concerns over plans by Scout Clean Energy to develop a wind farm with 52 turbines in rural Jefferson and Richland townships. About 100 people had appeared before the commissioners two weeks earlier.
Jeff and Sheila Birsfield, who have found themselves at the front of the wind farm opposition, were also on hand Monday. The couple, who have lived north of Como for 23 years, created a Facebook page in opposition to the wind farm and have established a GoFundMe site in an attempt to raise funds for potential legal fees.
“We are completely surprised to see our way of life in Jay County threatened,” said Sheila Birsfield. “Talk to the folks who are living under these turbines. … Is this really worth the cost? … Ninety-nine percent of the people in Jay County will get no benefit.”
“I’m as native to Jay County as anyone can get,” said Garringer. “I feel like I want to move and I feel like I’m being driven away.”
He urged commissioners to recommend to the planning commission that the zoning ordinance be amended to restrict or prohibit wind farm development.
“It’s not a process that can be done overnight,” cautioned county attorney Bill Hinkle. “It’s a law.”
“I’m not sure that’s a feasible thing to do,” said Chuck Huffman, president of the commissioners, noting that a revision of zoning regulations for CAFOs took nearly two and a half years to complete. But, he added, “It seems to me the logical place to start is the planning commission.”
Asked if a moratorium were possible, Hinkle responded that it was.
They may also ask that a moratorium on new wind farms be put in place until the regulations can be re-written.
“You need to grasp what we are feeling out here in the community,” Mike Garringer told Jay County Commissioners on Monday. “I don’t think we’ll be able to attract people to a rural community. … We’re surrounded by windmills. We’re surrounded by CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations).”
Garringer was one of about 60 people on hand for Monday’s meeting to voice their concerns over plans by Scout Clean Energy to develop a wind farm with 52 turbines in rural Jefferson and Richland townships. About 100 people had appeared before the commissioners two weeks earlier.
Jeff and Sheila Birsfield, who have found themselves at the front of the wind farm opposition, were also on hand Monday. The couple, who have lived north of Como for 23 years, created a Facebook page in opposition to the wind farm and have established a GoFundMe site in an attempt to raise funds for potential legal fees.
“We are completely surprised to see our way of life in Jay County threatened,” said Sheila Birsfield. “Talk to the folks who are living under these turbines. … Is this really worth the cost? … Ninety-nine percent of the people in Jay County will get no benefit.”
“I’m as native to Jay County as anyone can get,” said Garringer. “I feel like I want to move and I feel like I’m being driven away.”
He urged commissioners to recommend to the planning commission that the zoning ordinance be amended to restrict or prohibit wind farm development.
“It’s not a process that can be done overnight,” cautioned county attorney Bill Hinkle. “It’s a law.”
“I’m not sure that’s a feasible thing to do,” said Chuck Huffman, president of the commissioners, noting that a revision of zoning regulations for CAFOs took nearly two and a half years to complete. But, he added, “It seems to me the logical place to start is the planning commission.”
Asked if a moratorium were possible, Hinkle responded that it was.
Hudson also said contracts between the district and the cities of Dunkirk and Portland need to be reviewed.
“There’s too many unknowns,” he said. “In the meantime, what do we do here?”
“If you give them another $25,000, that might let you run three or four months more,” said Leonhard. “But they already owe us $25,000.”
“And there’s no money to pay it back, Mike,” responded Hudson.
Commissioners gave unanimous approval to the purchase of two Ford Explorers for Jay County Sheriff’s Office at a price of $26,728 apiece.
They were also unanimous in approving a total of $10,900 to create asset management plans for Salamonia, Bryant and Pennville at the recommendation of community developer Ami Huffman.
Such plans are required for those communities to be eligible for funding from the state’s Community Crossing program. Once those plans are approved, those towns could submit street paving projects to the state on a 75-25 matching basis. The local 25 percent funding could come from the NextEra wind farm economic development dollars.
Commissioners tabled a proposal from Huffman to fund community planning projects for Dunkirk and Pennville until Jay County Development Corporation provides a comprehensive proposal for the wind farm funds.
At the request of Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman, commissioners approved the assignment of tax sale certificates for two properties — 130 E. High St. and 961 S. Bridge St. — to the city. Geesaman said the houses on those properties will be razed and the bare ground sold to get it back on property tax rolls.
Commissioners took under advisement bids on RS2 oil for use in chip and seal work by Jay County Highway Department. Asphalt Materials was the apparent low bidder with a price of $1.3261 per gallon. Highway superintendent Ken Wellman will return at a future meeting with a recommendation.
In other business, commissioners:
•Heard an update report on the Upper Salamonie River water quality project from Tim Kroeker and approved more than $20,000 in cover crop cost-sharing payments funded by a Clean Water Indiana Grant.
•Heard Hudson say that he has been in touch with officials in Randolph, Blackford and Adams counties and the City of Portland about their use of health insurance consulting firms.
•Approved right-of-way changes for Indiana Michigan Power for two projects involving fiber optic communications lines.
•Proclaimed April 30 to May 5 as Optimists Respect for Law Week.
•Approved the annual landfill permit for Waste Management and accepted a $25,000 permit fee from the company.
•Continued to discuss the raising of livestock at Jay County Retirement Center. “Right now, it looks like we’re operating at about a $6,000 a year loss,” said commissioner Chuck Huffman, noting that figure did not include the loss of potential cash rental revenue. “But we’re really not ready to make a decision.”
•Learned from Jay County Auditor Anna Culy that it will be necessary to upgrade some computer equipment needed for moving the county’s data to the cloud for storage. “It’s not cheap,” she warned.
•Approved a new resident for the retirement center but tabled a request for new computer equipment there.
•Noted that JCDC executive director Bill Bradley will be leaving to take a new position and suggested that it’s time to re-examine how that job is structured, since there have been major changes in the field of economic development in recent years.
•Were told by Ami Huffman that the early childhood education study and assessment of Jay Schools buildings is progressing. A report is expected to be made public in June.
•Heard commissioner Huffman say that he intends to get the county’s road committee back in action shortly.
•Approved the purchase of a traffic counter at a cost of about $1,700 to replace one that was damaged by a snow plow this winter.
•Made a special exception to allow Jay County Prosecutor Wes Schemenaur to hire Zec Landers, a second-year law school student who has expressed interests in returning to Jay County after graduation, to work part-time for Schemenaur’s office this summer. Funding for the position will come from legal deferral fees rather than tax dollars, Schemenaur said.
“There’s too many unknowns,” he said. “In the meantime, what do we do here?”
“If you give them another $25,000, that might let you run three or four months more,” said Leonhard. “But they already owe us $25,000.”
“And there’s no money to pay it back, Mike,” responded Hudson.
Commissioners gave unanimous approval to the purchase of two Ford Explorers for Jay County Sheriff’s Office at a price of $26,728 apiece.
They were also unanimous in approving a total of $10,900 to create asset management plans for Salamonia, Bryant and Pennville at the recommendation of community developer Ami Huffman.
Such plans are required for those communities to be eligible for funding from the state’s Community Crossing program. Once those plans are approved, those towns could submit street paving projects to the state on a 75-25 matching basis. The local 25 percent funding could come from the NextEra wind farm economic development dollars.
Commissioners tabled a proposal from Huffman to fund community planning projects for Dunkirk and Pennville until Jay County Development Corporation provides a comprehensive proposal for the wind farm funds.
At the request of Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman, commissioners approved the assignment of tax sale certificates for two properties — 130 E. High St. and 961 S. Bridge St. — to the city. Geesaman said the houses on those properties will be razed and the bare ground sold to get it back on property tax rolls.
Commissioners took under advisement bids on RS2 oil for use in chip and seal work by Jay County Highway Department. Asphalt Materials was the apparent low bidder with a price of $1.3261 per gallon. Highway superintendent Ken Wellman will return at a future meeting with a recommendation.
In other business, commissioners:
•Heard an update report on the Upper Salamonie River water quality project from Tim Kroeker and approved more than $20,000 in cover crop cost-sharing payments funded by a Clean Water Indiana Grant.
•Heard Hudson say that he has been in touch with officials in Randolph, Blackford and Adams counties and the City of Portland about their use of health insurance consulting firms.
•Approved right-of-way changes for Indiana Michigan Power for two projects involving fiber optic communications lines.
•Proclaimed April 30 to May 5 as Optimists Respect for Law Week.
•Approved the annual landfill permit for Waste Management and accepted a $25,000 permit fee from the company.
•Continued to discuss the raising of livestock at Jay County Retirement Center. “Right now, it looks like we’re operating at about a $6,000 a year loss,” said commissioner Chuck Huffman, noting that figure did not include the loss of potential cash rental revenue. “But we’re really not ready to make a decision.”
•Learned from Jay County Auditor Anna Culy that it will be necessary to upgrade some computer equipment needed for moving the county’s data to the cloud for storage. “It’s not cheap,” she warned.
•Approved a new resident for the retirement center but tabled a request for new computer equipment there.
•Noted that JCDC executive director Bill Bradley will be leaving to take a new position and suggested that it’s time to re-examine how that job is structured, since there have been major changes in the field of economic development in recent years.
•Were told by Ami Huffman that the early childhood education study and assessment of Jay Schools buildings is progressing. A report is expected to be made public in June.
•Heard commissioner Huffman say that he intends to get the county’s road committee back in action shortly.
•Approved the purchase of a traffic counter at a cost of about $1,700 to replace one that was damaged by a snow plow this winter.
•Made a special exception to allow Jay County Prosecutor Wes Schemenaur to hire Zec Landers, a second-year law school student who has expressed interests in returning to Jay County after graduation, to work part-time for Schemenaur’s office this summer. Funding for the position will come from legal deferral fees rather than tax dollars, Schemenaur said.
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