March 23, 2021 at 4:53 p.m.
Agreements set
Jay County Commissioners take next step toward a solar facility in Penn and Jackson townships
Agreements set
Solar energy is on the horizon for Jay County.
Jay County Commissioners on Monday signed two agreements — one for road use and one for a decommissioning plan — with the sustainable energy company Invenergy for its proposed Skycrest Solar facility.
Commissioners will need to sign an economic development agreement before July 5, per the two other agreements, to get to project rolling.
Invenergy, a global firm with headquarters in Chicago, is planning a $150 million, 155-megawatt facility located on about 2,500 acres in Penn and Jackson Townships.
The company estimates it would generate about $30 million in property taxes over the life of the facility in addition to $40 million in lease payments to participating landowners.
The timeline for the project calls for permitting this year with construction to begin in 2022 and the facility to be operational as early as 2024.
Invenergy and Jay County officials have been negotiating the agreements for the last four months, county attorney Bill Hinkle noted. They are similar to road use and decommissioning agreements the county signed with NextEra Energy and Scout Clean Energy for wind farm projects.
The road use agreement will identify roads used for the solar project, which will be determined closer to the time of construction. It also requires the company’s contractor to notify Jay County Highway Department whenever it anticipates closing or having heavy machinery on the roads. The agreement also requires Invenergy to document the condition of the property before construction begins, Hinkle said.
The decommissioning plan for the solar panels lays out the requirements for the removal of equipment when the facility is no longer operational.
Decommissioning can begin if there is no electricity generated for 12 consecutive months or within 60 days from the end of the project, which is projected to last about 35 years. Invenergy is also responsible for removing all panels and equipment from the property and restoring the land to its prior condition, Hinkle explained.
Hinkle noted there is currently legislation moving through the Indiana Senate that, if passed, could potentially alter the economic development agreement, although he said he does not anticipate the legislation being a problem for the county. (The legislation would establish standards for setbacks and other requirements for wind and solar operations.) He plans to wait until the end of the Indiana General Assembly session next month before finalizing it.
Also Monday, representatives from Jay County Humane Society and Midwest Pet Refuge agreed to continue providing animal control services to the county for another three months.
Commissioner Brian McGalliard said officials from Jay County municipalities have voiced their approval to join a countywide animal control contract. The current agreement, which was made following the retirement of animal control officers Bill and Kathy Fields in December, only covers the county. However, the humane society has been taking calls regardless of location, humane society president Mindy Weaver told commissioners.
Weaver agreed to speak with the humane society board about considering a year-long formal contract with the county to provide countywide animal control services.
She also asked if commissioners planned to contribute funds toward a new building for the shelter. (Commissioners in January rescinded a previous commitment to provide up to $275,000 for the project, citing concerns about its projected cost of $1.3 million.)
Both commissioner Chad Aker and McGalliard voiced approval toward committing an unspecified amount of funding. Aker later noted the county’s contribution will be for all Jay municipalities.
Animal control task force chair Julie Forcum noted contractors need a location before they can do a rendering of the proposed facility. Commissioners had requested that step be taken before considering a new funding commitment.
Commissioners also signed a general services agreement with Valparaiso-based Core Facilities Inc., a project management and consulting firm. As discussed by president Matthew Stechly at the meeting, Core will be responsible for seeking bids for the new camera system at Jay County Sheriff’s Office. His company will also oversee the contractor during the system installation process to ensure proper procedures are followed and to prevent unnecessary charges to the county.
The agreement lists an hourly rate for time and materials at $150 with a cap at $27,550. There is also a clause that allows either party to terminate the agreement without cause after a 10-day notice.
Stechly — who has worked more than 20 years in contractual, maintenance and repair and related fields — originally proposed an agreement in August to provide his services for hiring local employees and implementing an improved maintenance program. At the time, he suggested hiring an “in-house” position to oversee maintenance at the facility.
Currently, jail maintenance service comes from Havel, a corporate maintenance and repair business. The 2021 contract with Havel was automatically renewed in December.
Sheriff Dwane Ford said it may be difficult to find systems that would work with Havel software, and he advocated for the agreement with Core at the meeting Monday.
“Probably somebody with his knowledge might be a lot better,” Ford noted, mentioning it may save the county money in the future.
Also, commissioners heard a request from Deb Gillespie of Jay County Fair Board for $50,000 to go toward the inaugural lighting festival at the fairgrounds that is scheduled for late November through the end of December. The festival will be a drive-through light display with regular visits from Santa Claus. Gillespie said the fair board plans to charge at the gate and also will be taking canned food donations.
Commissioners sent the request to the Jay County Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) Advisory Board for its review.
In other news, commissioners:
•OK’d a mutual agreement between Jay Emergency Medical Service and Southern Mercer County Joint Ambulance District of Ohio to aid one another as needed. Also approved spending $4,125 — most of which is covered by Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding — for three new King Vision Video Laryngoscopes, which are digital intubation devices, for JEMS.
•Approved a request for Jay County Coroner’s Office to take possession of former county engineer Dan Watson’s work vehicle, a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 with an extended cab. The department plans to use the truck for regular business. Staff had been using personal vehicles for calls.
•Appointed Dru Mercer to Jay County Plan Commission. Mercer will be replacing Tom Laux, who resigned two weeks ago.
•Paid the following claims: $79,973.03 for a new roller for Jay County Highway Department, $27,500 for the Jay-Randolph Developmental Services budget; $61,112 for two vehicles at the sheriff’s office; $27,350 for a truck at the surveyor’s office; $14,215 for a LUCAS chest compression system for JEMS.
Jay County Commissioners on Monday signed two agreements — one for road use and one for a decommissioning plan — with the sustainable energy company Invenergy for its proposed Skycrest Solar facility.
Commissioners will need to sign an economic development agreement before July 5, per the two other agreements, to get to project rolling.
Invenergy, a global firm with headquarters in Chicago, is planning a $150 million, 155-megawatt facility located on about 2,500 acres in Penn and Jackson Townships.
The company estimates it would generate about $30 million in property taxes over the life of the facility in addition to $40 million in lease payments to participating landowners.
The timeline for the project calls for permitting this year with construction to begin in 2022 and the facility to be operational as early as 2024.
Invenergy and Jay County officials have been negotiating the agreements for the last four months, county attorney Bill Hinkle noted. They are similar to road use and decommissioning agreements the county signed with NextEra Energy and Scout Clean Energy for wind farm projects.
The road use agreement will identify roads used for the solar project, which will be determined closer to the time of construction. It also requires the company’s contractor to notify Jay County Highway Department whenever it anticipates closing or having heavy machinery on the roads. The agreement also requires Invenergy to document the condition of the property before construction begins, Hinkle said.
The decommissioning plan for the solar panels lays out the requirements for the removal of equipment when the facility is no longer operational.
Decommissioning can begin if there is no electricity generated for 12 consecutive months or within 60 days from the end of the project, which is projected to last about 35 years. Invenergy is also responsible for removing all panels and equipment from the property and restoring the land to its prior condition, Hinkle explained.
Hinkle noted there is currently legislation moving through the Indiana Senate that, if passed, could potentially alter the economic development agreement, although he said he does not anticipate the legislation being a problem for the county. (The legislation would establish standards for setbacks and other requirements for wind and solar operations.) He plans to wait until the end of the Indiana General Assembly session next month before finalizing it.
Also Monday, representatives from Jay County Humane Society and Midwest Pet Refuge agreed to continue providing animal control services to the county for another three months.
Commissioner Brian McGalliard said officials from Jay County municipalities have voiced their approval to join a countywide animal control contract. The current agreement, which was made following the retirement of animal control officers Bill and Kathy Fields in December, only covers the county. However, the humane society has been taking calls regardless of location, humane society president Mindy Weaver told commissioners.
Weaver agreed to speak with the humane society board about considering a year-long formal contract with the county to provide countywide animal control services.
She also asked if commissioners planned to contribute funds toward a new building for the shelter. (Commissioners in January rescinded a previous commitment to provide up to $275,000 for the project, citing concerns about its projected cost of $1.3 million.)
Both commissioner Chad Aker and McGalliard voiced approval toward committing an unspecified amount of funding. Aker later noted the county’s contribution will be for all Jay municipalities.
Animal control task force chair Julie Forcum noted contractors need a location before they can do a rendering of the proposed facility. Commissioners had requested that step be taken before considering a new funding commitment.
Commissioners also signed a general services agreement with Valparaiso-based Core Facilities Inc., a project management and consulting firm. As discussed by president Matthew Stechly at the meeting, Core will be responsible for seeking bids for the new camera system at Jay County Sheriff’s Office. His company will also oversee the contractor during the system installation process to ensure proper procedures are followed and to prevent unnecessary charges to the county.
The agreement lists an hourly rate for time and materials at $150 with a cap at $27,550. There is also a clause that allows either party to terminate the agreement without cause after a 10-day notice.
Stechly — who has worked more than 20 years in contractual, maintenance and repair and related fields — originally proposed an agreement in August to provide his services for hiring local employees and implementing an improved maintenance program. At the time, he suggested hiring an “in-house” position to oversee maintenance at the facility.
Currently, jail maintenance service comes from Havel, a corporate maintenance and repair business. The 2021 contract with Havel was automatically renewed in December.
Sheriff Dwane Ford said it may be difficult to find systems that would work with Havel software, and he advocated for the agreement with Core at the meeting Monday.
“Probably somebody with his knowledge might be a lot better,” Ford noted, mentioning it may save the county money in the future.
Also, commissioners heard a request from Deb Gillespie of Jay County Fair Board for $50,000 to go toward the inaugural lighting festival at the fairgrounds that is scheduled for late November through the end of December. The festival will be a drive-through light display with regular visits from Santa Claus. Gillespie said the fair board plans to charge at the gate and also will be taking canned food donations.
Commissioners sent the request to the Jay County Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) Advisory Board for its review.
In other news, commissioners:
•OK’d a mutual agreement between Jay Emergency Medical Service and Southern Mercer County Joint Ambulance District of Ohio to aid one another as needed. Also approved spending $4,125 — most of which is covered by Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding — for three new King Vision Video Laryngoscopes, which are digital intubation devices, for JEMS.
•Approved a request for Jay County Coroner’s Office to take possession of former county engineer Dan Watson’s work vehicle, a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 with an extended cab. The department plans to use the truck for regular business. Staff had been using personal vehicles for calls.
•Appointed Dru Mercer to Jay County Plan Commission. Mercer will be replacing Tom Laux, who resigned two weeks ago.
•Paid the following claims: $79,973.03 for a new roller for Jay County Highway Department, $27,500 for the Jay-Randolph Developmental Services budget; $61,112 for two vehicles at the sheriff’s office; $27,350 for a truck at the surveyor’s office; $14,215 for a LUCAS chest compression system for JEMS.
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