Commissioners approve PILOT invoice for New Market Solar project

Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades voted to issue the first PILOT invoice for the New Market Solar project and met briefly with individuals from three local offices during their Wednesday, March 22 meeting.

Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve sending the letter and invoice to Liberty I Renewables - Hecate Energy for the first “service payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), including the additional annual service payment,” the letter says.

The New Market Solar project is “being permitted and constructed in two phases (35MW and 65 MW),” according to newmarketsolar.com. “Liberty acquired the 100 MW Project for Hecate Energy through a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (“MIPA”). Hecate Energy had developed and submitted a PJM queue position for 400 MW, which also included a 300 MW (non-Liberty Project) currently under development by D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments (“DESRI”), which they name Highland Solar.”

The project is located in Clay and Whiteoak townships.

According to the commissioners’ letter, 24 MW are currently operational.

“As a result, Highland County intends to invoice,” commissioners wrote. “A total of $9,000 for each MW of nameplate capacity (100 MW) of the alternative energy facility is to be invoiced. Therefore, enclosed with this letter you will find the 2022 PILOT payment invoice.”

The first half-year payment of $450,000 is due April 20, according to the invoice.

Also on Wednesday, commissioners held brief meetings with Highland County Auditor Alex Butler, Highland County Board of Elections Director David Tolliver and Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin.

Commissioners voted 3-0 to continue participation in the County Commissioners Association of Ohio’s workers’ compensation pool, following an update from Butler.

“The county has participated in this pool system for a number of years, and they have estimated our total savings to be $12,991,” Butler said. “I checked historical numbers. Sometimes it's been more, sometimes it's been less, so this number is about par for the course.

“I wanted to get on your radar and ask officially.”

This is an increase over the previous year’s estimated savings of $10,860.

Britton said the county has participated “pretty much every year” and made a motion to continue, which passed unanimously.

Tolliver met with commissioners to discuss plans to purchase new poll books for the Board of Elections, using state funding to cover a little more than half of the expense.

“The last ones we got were in 2019, and you guys paid for all those,” Tolliver said. “They're expecting about five years that we can get out them, so we're trying to get ahead of 2024 and use the funds as they make them available.”

Tolliver said the state is offering $25,453, while he has obtained a quote for $48,250 for 50 new poll books with a $1,200 buyback discount for returning their old poll books.

“These ones are a lot newer, they're a lot sturdier and they're not going to break down on us as quick,” Tolliver said. “Our out-of-pocket [expense] is going to be $21,547.”

Tolliver added that they could handle the expense but wanted to make the commissioners “aware, just in case we were to have like a shortfall or anything, because it's not something we budgeted for.”

Daniels asked if “this is going to be a bid or come back to us as a contract.”

“We will have to sign a contract, whenever they do it,” Tolliver said. “The DAS [Department of Administrative Services] is ironing out all the details on that.”

Britton also asked if the Board of Elections would have to cover all of the costs “up front and then get reimbursed” with the money from the state.

“Yes, I believe so,” Tolliver said.

Tolliver said they were expecting to receive a contract for the purchase around June.

Britton thanked him for the update.

Wilkin said he wanted to thank commission clerk Mary Remsing, as the village was notified that they have been awarded a Critical Infrastructure grant for Sycamore Circle.

As previously reported, the county discussed plans to submit the grant application last spring for a storm sewer infrastructure project for Sycamore Circle in the Village of Greenfield, totaling $238,272.

“Mary Remsing in your office has been instrumental in making sure that Greenfield will get that,” Wilkin said. “There’s tremendous flooding over in Sycamore Circle, if you're familiar with that area. I'm a believer that I always want to give it back better than what we received it, so this is a grant that we applied for through your office for critical infrastructure.

“Mary really worked hard, and I just want to thank her for that and bring recognition for her hard work on it. So with that grant, we'll be able to give back to Sycamore Circle better than what we received.”

Britton thanked Wilkin and added, “Mary does a nice job for us.”

In other discussion:

• Following an approximately 26-minute executive session, commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the hiring of a new human resources director for the county. Britton said that Amy Bradley will start in the role March 27.

As previously reported, commissioners announced the creation of the human resources director position in November, with job duties including “leading the activities regarding the county’s health and welfare package, labor relations, employee relations, risk management, including workers’ compensation and hiring.” That also includes negotiations with the county’s “collective bargaining units,” according to the job description.

• Commissioners voted 3-0 to accept a quote from $3,290 from Ellis Fence Company to fence in an additional area at the new dog pound.

“We decided that we’re going to add a little more area to be fenced in, so we had our architects give us get an estimate on what that would be,” Britton said. “This is going to take in about 112 linear feet, approximately, of new chain link fence.

“I know there is possibly a small modification that we might have to make on this for a gate, so there could be a little bit of an adjustment to this.”

As the dog pound is set for an official grand opening April 7, Britton said this area was “kind of an oversight.

“We wanted to just have a little more of a run space for the dogs,” he said.

Daniels added that the fence will also “provide some extra security in and around the kennel runs.”

• Commissioners said they have received a letter from the Ohio Division of Liquor Control regarding a “new inquiry for a liquor license” for the 1st Stop in Belfast.

Britton said they would wait to take action until their next meeting, in the event they receive any comments from the public.

• Commissioners noted they will be seeking bids for mowing at county properties.

• Later on Wednesday morning, the commission held two separate work sessions. The first was to discuss possible changes to the county’s planned records storage facility. According to commission clerk Ashleigh Willey, Doug Karnes of McCarty and Associates is finalizing the building plans and should have drawings complete and bid packets out within the next 30 days.

The second work session was to discuss financing and possible additional work for the Rocky Fork Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant. No final decisions have been made, according to Willey.

• The following resolutions were approved, each by a 3-0 vote:

A resolution to establish a new fund within the General Fund, 11008 – Human Resources, and new line items and appropriations as listed; and

A request from Probation for a budget modification within the 2770 Probation Services (CCS) account in the amount of $15,367.46.

• Commissioners also issued a proclamation honoring the Fairfield Lions boys basketball team. Read more at: https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/Sports/Sports/Article/Highland-County-commissioners-recognize-Fairfield-Lions-boys-basketball-team/3/21/89143.