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Good morning.
I'd like to welcome everybody this

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morning. At this time, I call on Miss
Blackwell to give a prayer.

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Dear Lord, we thank you for this
opportunity to gather together. May our

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hearts and minds be united in a common
purpose and may we engage in meaningful

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discussion. Grant us wisdom and
discernment and help us to work together

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effectively. We ask this in your name.
Amen. Amen.

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At this time, I call this meeting to
order. Please stand for the pledge of

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allegiance.

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I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and

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justice for all.
Thank you.

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Uh, I'd like to announce that anybody
that would like to speak during our

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public hearings when we get to that
part, uh, please sign up on the sheet

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that's over in the corner over there. I
don't want to miss anybody who would

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like to

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speak. You have the minutes, board
members. You have the minutes to our

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April 14th uh 2025 board meeting. I'll
entertain a motion to approve.

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So move, Mr. Chair. Motion been made.
All in favor say I. Those opposed. The

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motion carries. You also have the
minutes of our April 24th uh 14th uh

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meeting. Entertain a motion to approve.
Mr. Chair, some move. Motion been made.

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All in favor say I. I. Opposed. The
motion carries. Mr. Hendrick, planning

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and zoning.

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Mr. Chairman, for a minute. Before I get
started, I would like to introduce uh

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Lucky Carson. He is the county new
planner that just came on board.

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Okay.
Welcome. We c certainly welcome you to

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the county. Good to have you. I think
you'll do the county a great job. Okay,

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the first application we have is a
request by Michael Obby for a special

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exception permit to operate an ATV
repair shop on the property. This

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property identified as county tax number
1420000-

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A-00481 and partial record number 38416
is owned as agricultural is located on

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the west side of route 789 B road and
approximately a half mile north of his

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intersection with route 735 White House
Road election district 9 county mechan

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reference the book LR-17-841

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okay election district does. Thank you,
Mr. Chair. I'd like to make a motion we

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accept the special exemption permit
application based off the planning

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commission.
Well, we got public hearing. Uh we'll

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now open the public hearing on this
application. Any anybody wish to speak

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on behalf of the

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application hearing? None. We'll open
the public hearing for this application.

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Anybody wishing to speak?

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Hearing none. District nine. Yes, sir.
I'd like to make a motion we accept the

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special exemption permit application
based off the planning commission's

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recommendation.

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All in favor of the motion? I.
All oppose. Motion carries. Thank you.

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You have an application request by
Garland Pill for a special exception for

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a third
residence home on the property. This

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property identified as county tax number

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14500-09-01 and partial rocket number
39332 is zone agricultures located on

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the east side of route 871 Sandy Fork
Road approximately half mile south of

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his intersection with highway 58
election district 1 county of

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Meckllinburgg reference the book BNP
163-453 and wheelb WF 20-429

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okay anybody wishing to speak on behalf
of

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application hearing. None. I'll open the
public hearing. Anyone wishing to

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speak hearing? No one. I will close the
public hearing. District one. Yes, sir.

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I recommend that we receive special
acceptance permit for the application of

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Garnet Pitter uh recommended by the
planning commission. Okay. Motion's been

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made. All in favor of the motion say I.
Opposed. And the motion carries.

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On Monday, May 12th, 2025, it is at his
meeting beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the

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board of supervisors meeting room of the
Goose Bank building located 350

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Washington Street, Boon, Virginia
23917. The Mechmber County Board of

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Supervisors will conduct a public
hearing for the proposed of receiving

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public comment on proposed solar
facility sighting agreement and proposed

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sighting development conditions between
seven bridges solar

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LLC County to set out perimeters related
to his proposed 80 megawatt facility

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covers county partial rocket
7779. At the conclusion of the public

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hearing, the board may adopt the solar
facility sighting agreement and proposed

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sighting development conditions as is.
may adopt the agreement and conditions

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with modifications. May decline to adopt
the agreement and conditions or may

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defer actions to a later board meeting.
Okay. Anyone wishing to speak on behalf

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of the
application? Clif.

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All right. Good morning, supervisors,
uh, board chair, staff. Thank you very

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much for giving us this time to you this
morning. Um, as you all know, I'm Cliff

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Sher. I work for Long Road Energy. I'm a
development director. We are a

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developer, owner, and operator of
renewable energy projects. Uh we're

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active across the country and we've been
developing the seven bridges solar

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project uh since
2017.

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Um as you've gotten uh handouts this
morning that include this presentation

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and also some information on the uh some
of the supporters. Um we also have other

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other supporters beyond those uh emails
that are in the uh binder that you

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received this morning. But first to zoom
out a little bit, I just want to uh

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share some information on solar is that
it is a a proven technology. It's in

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demand by uh utilities, corporate
customers, um small businesses and and

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residences. Uh in 2024, 50,000 megawatts
of solar was added to the grid versus

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only 2400 megawatts of gas. And part of
the reason for that is because the cost

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of solar has fallen over 80% since
2009. So on a a levelized cost of energy

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basis on average solar uh the levelized
cost of energy is solar is lower than

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any other power generation
technology. Now to get more local in

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2023 Virginia imported more electricity
than any other state. that 36% of the

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electricity supply in 2023 came from
outside Virginia and Virginia energy

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demand is expected to double in the next
10

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years. So it seems clear that there's a
need for more sources of energy to meet

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the demands of businesses and residents.
Um and as most people know our project

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is located just over about three and a
half miles outside of Chase City.

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There's existing transmission
infrastructure there that is key to

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connecting to the grid. Now, since 2017,
when we first got a contract in place

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with the land owner, uh the project area
has been reduced by 50% incorporating

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feedback from the community and others.
The project itself is is well cited with

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minimal to no visibility of the solar
project from public roads or neighbors.

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and we've been communicating with you
all and with the community as a whole

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throughout that development
time. The uh community feedback that

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we've received include um well sparked
us to do a number of things to address

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that feedback and one of those things is
conserving 250 acres between our project

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and the South Marin River. Another is
that we've we often get the the question

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um how is this project going to affect
my electricity rates? And we sell

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electricity into the wholesale market.
But what we found is a way to help

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people through a utility bill assistance
program that the Ruren Club is already

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running. We're planning to make a
donation to that program to expand that

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program across Meckllinburgg County. And
the thing that we like about their

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program is that it can be used by
customers of Dominion or Meckllinmberg

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Electric
Cooperative. Um, we also added a western

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access road to uh Highway 49 Courthouse
Road to reduce construction traffic

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impacts on Scott's Crossroad. Um, and
part of that relates to there's been

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talk of good neighbor agreements. you
all. Um, I've just submitted the the

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original hard copy of the affidavit that
I shared with the county earlier

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confirming that we are not utilizing
good neighbor agreements on this

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project. Um, we haven't had discussions
on that since early 2024. Since that

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time, we've added a construction access
road to the to the west that addresses

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the concerns that
um people had about construction impacts

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on Scott's Crossroads.
So, the sighting agreement that was uh

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submitted late last year includes the
changes that I just mentioned, the 250

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acres and the western access road and
also includes the commitment that we've

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made to Chase City years ago to help the
town uh through a donation of 500,000 as

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well as the increased an increase in
capital payments to Meckllinburgg County

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payable uh up all up to within the third
30 days of project operations. So that

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increases from 2 million to 2.5 million.
And then there's revenue share payments

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as is Virginia law that total more than
7 million over the project life. Now to

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get into the the details of the project
on the top row of pictures here are

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existing conditions. The bottom is uh
simulations of after our project is

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installed. So you could see the existing
access road that would be improved

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during construction on Scott's
Crossroads is the picture on the left.

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The middle picture is another view from
Scots Crossroads. And the picture on the

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right is a view of a location where
there would be that's not along the

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roads or um or the Scots Crossroad or at
South Marin. That's a view actually

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where there's 150 ft uh setback from the
property boundary. So, as you can see,

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the project is well shielded from
neighbors. Uh, this map includes the 250

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acre uh conservation area on the north
side of the project. And you could see

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on the east there's setbacks of 400 to
greater than 2,000 ft from Scott's

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Crossroads. To the south, there's a 1500
acre timber property that the owner

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plans to continue to operate as a timber
property. and highway 49 courthouse road

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is threequarters of a mile to the west.
So, as you can see, this project is well

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shielded. And also, um it's worth noting
that while our project has been

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downsized from 942 acres to 435 over the
8-year development

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timeline, that uh fenced remainder
remaining fence footprint would provide

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approximately 390 acres potentially for
sheep grazing. So it would provide uh uh

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we're working with uh farmers in
southside Virginia to provide support to

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the agricultural community and they in
service would help us maintain our

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project
location. Here is another view from the

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South Maharan River. You can see the
hill sloping across the river up towards

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the project site. That would be in the
250 acre conservation area. So the

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project is uphill from the South Marin
River well screened with a healthy

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setback. Now since this is the uh
discussion on the sighting agreement

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included here a summary on the economic
benefits of the project. During

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construction the project is expected to
support over $30 million in economic

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output. That includes 17 million in
direct spending and 14 million in

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indirect and induced spending and that's
strictly in Meckllinmberg County

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impacts. Um I mentioned the revenue to
Chase City and Meckllinburgg County

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already. During construction we expect
over 150 construction jobs resulting in

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more than $5 million in labor income.
And we also uh plan to utilize solar

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panels made by First Solar. We have a
long-standing relationship with First

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Solar supported by over 16,000 American
jobs across their their company and

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their supply chain. We have um over our
uh Long Road Energy's development

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career, we've utilized over 1,600
megawatts of first solar panels and we

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look forward to continuing to do that.
So, I'll close with this as you know,

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just pointing out that we have not just
a proven track record in Meckllinburgg

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County, but listening to communities and
answering tough questions and addressing

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concerns, but also all across the
country. So, we look forward to uh

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having the opportunity to continue to
move this project forward and would

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appreciate your vote in support of the
sighting agreement. Thank you.

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All right. Thank you, Cliff. Um, before
we open the public hearing on this, I'd

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like to remind everyone to please state
your name and your address. You'll have

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three minutes to speak and we uh stick
to that rule uh very strictly. Uh

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please, I'm sure there are different
opinions. Uh please be respectful for

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everyone and their opinion.
And with all that being said, I would

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like to open the public hearing on the
sighting agreement for the seven bridges

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project. Mr. Chair, we have 20 people
currently signed up to speak. Um the

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first speaker is Lori Huber.

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Good morning everyone. My name is Lori
Huber. My

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husband and I are here. visit 14174
Highway 58 in Boon. We're here this

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morning to urge the members of the board
to approve the seven bridges solar

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project. I see that you have it split
into two parts where it's favor of you

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00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:20,840
approving both of them. Uh one of the
first things covered in an economics

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class is the law of supply and
demand. And it says when supply exceeds

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demand prices fall and when demand
exceeds supply prices rise.

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The price of a gallon of gas right now
is is down because the price of a barrel

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of oil is about $60 a barrel. That's
very, very low. In fact, when it drops

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below $60 a barrel, it folks who are
producing the oil for us to use in our

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00:25:47,039 --> 00:25:53,360
car and other things lose money, so they
stop

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producing. That brings things back up
again. And that balance between supply

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and demand, the cost goes up a little
bit and they get back to creating the

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the gasoline we need for our
vehicles. The law of supply and demand

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00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:11,360
and applies to everything, food, houses,
and

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electricity. The demand for electricity
in Virginia and in Meckllinmberg County

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in particular is high and getting higher
every day. And that's due to the fact

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that we have data centers and we're
getting more of them all the time.

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Remember, when supply exceeds demand,
prices fall. And when demand exceeds

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supply, prices rise. You can make a good
decision here today and approve the

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00:26:37,279 --> 00:26:45,360
seven bridges solar project. A project
that will increase the supply of

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00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:50,799
electricity. The project will do this
for 30 years or more. The presentation

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00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:54,919
we just heard it cited 40 years. This
project will do it without

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having mining
operations for things like coal or for

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00:26:59,679 --> 00:27:07,919
pipelines that can leak for things like
gas or

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00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:13,200
oil. It will not depend on the constant
replenishing of fuels. It will not be

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subject to the fluctuations in the price
of those fuels driven by supply and

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demand. Don't lead but don't let demand
exceed supply and leave us with high

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00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:30,919
prices for electricity or at work
literally sitting in the dark. Thank

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00:27:27,919 --> 00:27:30,919
you.

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00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:36,760
The next speaker who signed up is
Derwood Grizzard.

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My wife Sandra and I live at the
intersection of Scots

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Crossroads and Honey Tree Road. We have
2 and 10 acres which have been in the

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family for 85 years and our boundary has
about a quarter of a mile adjoined plan

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uh solar
project. that plan uh which I've seen

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00:28:08,399 --> 00:28:18,000
several places
uh showed 150 ft or 50 yards from our

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00:28:15,399 --> 00:28:21,279
property. They said they would improve
this

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00:28:19,159 --> 00:28:29,279
situation. Have I've not seen an
improved plan until a few minutes ago.

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00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:36,640
Uh they gave me the approved plan which
is 250 ft which is probably 200 feet

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00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:40,600
less than I would like to see.
You have probably seen the solar project

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00:28:39,279 --> 00:28:48,760
off road
49 on the way to Chase City. This is one

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00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:55,679
and a half miles from the main
stoplight in Chase City. And you if you

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00:28:52,559 --> 00:29:02,760
go there, you can see how bad that looks
at about 450 ft from the highway. And

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00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:13,480
you can imagine how it would
look 150 feet or 50 yards from our

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00:29:08,039 --> 00:29:21,679
property. Uh I had uh given
a a report to the

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00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:26,960
u Mr. Hendris which I won't read now. I
think y'all have already it's been

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00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:31,000
distributed to you. But there has been
some

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00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:37,120
discussions about good neighbor
agreements. Uh there was one at the last

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00:29:33,679 --> 00:29:44,799
meeting here. Also articles have been
written in the local paper. Uh I would

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like to state here that my wife and I
have received two of these agreements.

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00:29:49,039 --> 00:30:02,000
Uh the first one we received probably
back in about June and uh it was seven

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pages long and on that one my wife and I
were agreed as a uh neighbor and uh

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00:30:08,399 --> 00:30:20,240
uh the longwood draft is at the top of
the page. Uh, and this puts a lot of

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00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:26,760
restraints on us if we sign this, which
we did not. And uh I might say that I

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00:30:24,559 --> 00:30:33,440
have not been
contacted by the solar company

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00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:39,399
personally over the phone to discuss
this, but it did show up in my mailbox

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00:30:37,799 --> 00:30:47,360
uh
postmarked and it has a lot of

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00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:54,480
uh requirements on us not to talk about
this, not to complain.

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00:30:50,039 --> 00:30:59,919
uh the uh setback of 150 ft was in the
agreement which now they say they

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00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:05,760
changed it to 250. And also it's a
secret thing. I'm not supposed to be

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00:31:01,679 --> 00:31:11,679
telling anybody about this. And uh I'm
not bound to that because I didn't sign

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00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:18,159
it. Has a place on here for us to sign.
And then on here

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00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:25,799
also it has a place that we can uh
return this to seven bridges solar that

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00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:32,080
general council in San
Francisco.

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00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:38,880
Uh and also on here the payment to be
made to us is two payments, one for

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00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:45,279
$2,000 and one for $10,000.
Uh the second one we got

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00:31:41,799 --> 00:31:52,559
uh we got it fairly right after the last
meeting we had here. Uh and it's a

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00:31:49,039 --> 00:31:56,760
little bit strange. It's addressed in
pencil

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00:31:54,159 --> 00:32:02,480
uh to 63 Scots
Crossroads

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00:31:59,159 --> 00:32:10,159
23194. There's no name on here to say
who it's coming to. It doesn't mention

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00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:16,320
uh Chase City, Virginia. Uh it's just
crudely like this. And uh Mr. Grizz, I'm

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00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:23,279
I'm going to have to stop you now. I'm
sorry. Okay. But uh I will stop. But

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00:32:21,039 --> 00:32:26,679
only thing I will tell you that this
went from

250
00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:31,159
$12,000 to
$100,000 on the money.

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00:32:31,279 --> 00:32:37,080
Our next signed up speaker is Lisa Davis
Bishop.

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00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:55,760
Good morning. Good morning. Morning. My
name is Lisa Davis Bishop and I live at

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00:32:52,399 --> 00:33:01,960
1645 Scotch Crossroads. I've lived there
all my life. almost that maybe three

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00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:09,840
years I was not there.
Um I would ask that each of you please

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00:33:05,559 --> 00:33:15,399
approach this from my point of view. Do
unto others as you would have them do

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00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:20,080
unto you. Put yourself in my
shoes that you're going to lose your

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00:33:17,519 --> 00:33:20,080
home to

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00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:28,559
this. I ask that you please vote against
the solar project on Scotch Crossroads.

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00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:35,080
The reasons I'm opposed are numerous.
Solar is not effective or efficient. At

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00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:40,320
most, they are 16% effective, which is
dismal. Where would they be disposed of

261
00:33:37,679 --> 00:33:44,399
once they're used? No landfill will
accept

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00:33:41,399 --> 00:33:49,279
them. Solar projects are paid by the
acre, paid for by the acre by the

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00:33:46,519 --> 00:33:54,240
government. So, we all will pay to
further enrich the land owner, Dominion,

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00:33:51,519 --> 00:33:58,240
and Long Road or Seven Bridges. uh none
of whom need more

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00:33:55,720 --> 00:34:02,720
money. This is being done to provide a
thin veneer of green to Dominion,

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00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:08,720
Microsoft, and the data centers. Our
electric bills will actually go up. Let

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00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:12,720
that sink in. They will actually go up.
We will be subject to brownouts that

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00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:16,399
such as the ones that just occurred in
Spain and

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00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:21,359
Portugal. Keep in mind, we now have
Amish families who have moved in on 47

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00:34:18,879 --> 00:34:26,560
and Scotch crossroads who will be run
down by the work trucks.

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00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:30,240
Not to mention the trash. Please go down
Spanish Grove Road if you want to see

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00:34:28,240 --> 00:34:35,359
what it looks like when the solar panel
people come to you a location near

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00:34:32,679 --> 00:34:39,520
you. It's the biggest mess you've ever
seen. It's so

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00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:44,399
sad. There will be no jobs for
Meckllinmberg County. The workers will

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00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:47,359
come in from somewhere else. They might
stay in South Hill temporarily, but

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00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:51,599
Chase City will get nothing but the
blight of solar panels that no one

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00:34:49,359 --> 00:34:56,000
wants. No one will go to Graham's
Hardware from Longwood for supplies. If

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00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:59,440
solar panels were so great, they'd be
having them all over the county,

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00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:03,839
including South Hill and Clarksville,
not just Chase City. I'm very

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00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:08,520
disappointed that I even have to come
here and talk about this. I thought I

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00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:13,480
had to take off work to be here
today. I I I find it unbelievable that I

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00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:18,880
have to come and and and
beg to stop outside interests from

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00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:24,640
ruining my home.
I need you guys to do that for me. All

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00:35:21,599 --> 00:35:29,200
growth is not good. Please stop it.
Remember that trees are green. Cutting

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00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:34,560
down trees and replacing them with solar
panels is not green. You'll be creating

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00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:39,040
a small city on the Maharan River. Solar
panels will channel water causing

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00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:44,000
erosion and water quality issues. Solar
panels cannot disperse water the way a

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00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:49,079
tree can. And I almost forgot, solar
panels often spark fires when they

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00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:53,280
malfunction. I get this from a Dominion
employee. Uh, catching fire to the

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00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:58,240
grasses under them. Won't that be a mess
to clean up for us? Meckllinburgg County

291
00:35:55,680 --> 00:36:03,040
will get to clean it up. To me, the
solar promise is a beautiful lie. It's

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00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:07,560
too good to be true. You want to believe
that beautiful lie, but it's not true.

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00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:11,839
The ugly truth is it doesn't work
efficiently. And those who profit will

294
00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:16,960
care nothing about the people that live
on Scotch Crossroads or Chase City or

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00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:20,079
Meckllinburgg County. You know, the ones
that will have to suffer the

296
00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:25,200
consequences if this abomination is
allowed to continue. Please might save

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00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:29,680
my home on a quiet farm surrounded by
peaceful neighbors and other farmers.

298
00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:33,280
Meckllinburgg County needs farms. We do
not need solar

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00:36:31,079 --> 00:36:37,680
panels. I'm afraid they just want their
foot in the door and this thing will

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00:36:35,119 --> 00:36:41,680
expand and blow up exponentially. And if
you want to

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00:36:38,839 --> 00:36:45,520
conserve land by the Maharan River, you
can conserve all of it by rejecting this

302
00:36:43,599 --> 00:36:50,280
project.
Thank you so much for your time. Thank

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00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,280
you.

304
00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:58,400
Let
me before our next speaker, let me

305
00:36:56,000 --> 00:37:04,480
remind y'all uh please don't have any
applause, anything. And uh regardless or

306
00:37:01,599 --> 00:37:08,960
you dislike what the person is saying or
you totally endorse what they're saying,

307
00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:13,520
you know, we're not we're not at a
national championship game here. We're

308
00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:17,520
here to have a public hearing to uh let
people express

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00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:23,960
themselves. So uh please keep that in
mind if you would. The next signed up

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00:37:20,079 --> 00:37:23,960
speaker is Susan Mullen.

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00:37:35,359 --> 00:37:43,520
Good morning.
My name is Susan Spalding M Mullen and I

312
00:37:41,119 --> 00:37:48,800
grew up in Chase City with my parents
and both my maternal and paternal

313
00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:55,040
grandparents. It was a wonderful place
to grow up. But today when I visit Chase

314
00:37:51,839 --> 00:38:00,599
City, I leave sad. Coming through Chase
City this morning, I see that Pallet One

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00:37:57,359 --> 00:38:00,599
is closing.

316
00:38:01,119 --> 00:38:09,920
Chase City used to be the most populous
town in the county.

317
00:38:05,599 --> 00:38:13,839
But today it's not the same. Clarksville
has the lake and good

318
00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:17,720
restaurants. South Hill has the
interstate and restaurants. Betton has

319
00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:23,440
the county
seat. Chase City does not have any of

320
00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:29,839
that. And the first thing I want to say
is Chase City needs additional sources

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00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:35,200
of income for a new elementary school.
hopefully with solar panels on the

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00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:42,480
roof, perhaps high teacher pay, perhaps
a municipal park, anything to brighten

323
00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:51,960
its future. Chase City desperately needs
this project. Secondly, I believe in

324
00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:58,560
solar power. Solar energy is clean, it's
affordable, and it is part of the energy

325
00:38:54,640 --> 00:39:05,480
mix we need today.
But the fact and and sadly it's so sad

326
00:39:02,079 --> 00:39:12,320
that Grasshopper poisoned the well in J
City for so long. But the fact that Long

327
00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:16,640
Road is still here after eight years is
because they know they have the right

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00:39:14,079 --> 00:39:23,880
site and have been willing to work with
local residents and officials to address

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00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:28,880
any and all concerns. This is a
winwin. Chase City needs it. We need the

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00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:33,960
clean power and we need the revenue for
Chase City. In closing, I'd like to

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00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:40,560
leave you with my favorite
quote. If God had wanted us to have

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00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:47,240
unlimited free power, he would have put
a massive fusion reactor in the

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00:39:43,720 --> 00:39:52,760
sky. I'm closed. Thank
you. The next speaker is John Mullen.

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00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:10,720
Good morning. My name is John Mullen.
I'm here on behalf of my family. Uh

335
00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:14,880
Susan and I reside in Charlotte County.
Um eight years ago, we began working

336
00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:19,119
with Long Road Energy on the Seven
Bridges project. They've been a great

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00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:23,760
partner in addressing concerns raised by
the citizens in this portion of in this

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00:40:21,119 --> 00:40:29,920
portion of Meckllinburgg County. Long
Road has a contract to purchase 1,250

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00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:34,640
acres of a 7 2750 acre timber track
owned by my family in the J City area of

340
00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:38,480
Meckllinburgg County.
One side of the solar project will

341
00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:44,079
continue to be managed as a 1500 acre
timber tract and another side will be

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00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:49,359
bounded by the 250 acre permanent
easement along the South Maron River.

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00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:53,960
The project also is also adjacent to a
600 acre track owned by Microsoft which

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00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:57,920
has been reszoned for industrial
development. Some of the pre-eread

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00:40:55,920 --> 00:41:03,160
material indicated this track contain
quote prime farmland. Uh while there may

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00:41:01,119 --> 00:41:07,440
be selected portions that fall into that
category, it's been managed as a timber

347
00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:12,240
track for over a hundred years because
that was the highest and best use for

348
00:41:09,839 --> 00:41:17,200
this property rather than farming until
the seven bridges solar development

349
00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:20,880
option came along. I farm corn,
soybeans, and winter wheat in Charlotte

350
00:41:19,359 --> 00:41:25,520
County. And I can assure you that the
vast majority of this tract is not quote

351
00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:31,920
prime farmland close quote. Chairman
Jennings um also farms next to the tract

352
00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:34,960
and I believe he might agree. Um there
are already two transmission lines

353
00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:39,119
running through the Mullen family
holdings track and we've just signed an

354
00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:43,200
agreement with Dominion Power to provide
a rightway for a third transmission

355
00:41:41,079 --> 00:41:47,599
line. As you know, one of the main
requirements for a solar project is

356
00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:52,000
access and transmission. So experts
knowledgeable about solar think that the

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00:41:49,359 --> 00:41:56,240
seven bridges site is one of the best if
not the best solar sites in the entire

358
00:41:54,160 --> 00:42:01,119
state.
Uh while there's some controversy about

359
00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:07,440
this obviously from prior speakers um
because of the timber that u is mature

360
00:42:04,079 --> 00:42:13,680
that will form the border uh this site
actually is probably not visible except

361
00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:18,240
by air and traffic congestion congestion
during construction will be mitigated by

362
00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:23,839
entrances from both Route 49 and Scots
Crossroad with Route 49 designated for

363
00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:27,920
heavy loads. The seven bridges project
is clearly the highest and best use for

364
00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:31,599
this portion of my family's holding my
family's property and it's been

365
00:42:29,839 --> 00:42:36,800
greenlighted twice by the planning
commission including affirmation that

366
00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:41,839
our 2232 is grandfathered as part of the
2500 acre solar set aside that predates

367
00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:46,319
the updated long range plan for
Mechenburgg County.

368
00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:50,160
We've been good stewards of this
property for the past 33 years and I

369
00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:54,160
firmly believe Long Road will continue
that tradition if this project moves

370
00:42:52,119 --> 00:42:57,280
forward. Hopefully the board will
recognize the significant personal

371
00:42:55,760 --> 00:43:01,920
property rights associated with the
quote highest and best use concept close

372
00:42:59,760 --> 00:43:06,160
quote particularly given Long Road to
Energy's efforts to address express

373
00:43:04,240 --> 00:43:10,960
concerns and the long-term investment
this project represents not just for my

374
00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:16,119
family of Chase City but for mechany's
business community and its use of

375
00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:22,760
electricity. Thank you for your time and
consideration. Thank you. Next speaker

376
00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:22,760
is Joel Cathy.

377
00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:41,119
Good morning. Good morning. My name is
Joel Kathy. I live in Keysville,

378
00:43:37,160 --> 00:43:46,560
Virginia. Um I'm I'm a forest land owner
in Meckllinburgg County. Um

379
00:43:45,119 --> 00:43:51,200
I've been a forester in Southside
Virginia for the past 45 years. Um, I'm

380
00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:56,119
past president of Virginia Forestry
Association. I served two terms on the

381
00:43:53,599 --> 00:43:59,680
board of directors for the Department of
Forestry. I've been fortunate to have

382
00:43:58,240 --> 00:44:04,160
managed the land being proposed for this
solar farm since the Mullen family

383
00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:08,800
purchased this land about 33 years ago.
I'm probably as familiar with this piece

384
00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:12,720
of property as anybody in this room.
Long Road has listened to the concerns

385
00:44:10,319 --> 00:44:16,480
and feedback from both Charlotte from
both the county and the citizens has

386
00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:20,720
made numerous changes which have made
the layout even

387
00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:25,040
better. I've looked at the buffers and
the management plans for the buffers.

388
00:44:22,720 --> 00:44:29,440
This site will be nearly invisible from
the public perspective. I agree with

389
00:44:27,599 --> 00:44:35,359
Dominion Power that there's no better
site in the state of Virginia than this

390
00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:39,359
one. that the economics of growing pine
trees on private land have become more

391
00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:44,599
and more difficult. Just last week,
George Pacific announced closure of a

392
00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:49,200
plywood plant in
Emporia. The over the last 30 years, the

393
00:44:47,359 --> 00:44:54,319
prices that land owners receive for pine
logs and pulpwood has not kept pace with

394
00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:58,040
inflation. The shutdown will only make
matters worse. Yet, property taxes

395
00:44:56,240 --> 00:45:03,839
continue to go
up. To me, I view this issue issue as

396
00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:08,560
one of personal property rights. the
fundamental right to make decisions on

397
00:45:06,319 --> 00:45:12,240
what is done with the land that you own
as long as it doesn't interfere with

398
00:45:13,160 --> 00:45:20,319
neighbors. The solar farm on this land
will affect no one else. To me, I mean,

399
00:45:18,640 --> 00:45:23,760
seven bridges solar provided a lot of
money would will provide a lot of money

400
00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:28,240
for member county and town of Chase
City. This will help keep property taxes

401
00:45:26,000 --> 00:45:33,119
down for all the citizens of the county.
It's time to move this project forward.

402
00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:39,400
Thank you all for your time. Thank you.
Next speaker is Cody. Uh, is this Snare?

403
00:45:46,720 --> 00:45:54,000
I'm with DevCom Power. We were awarded
the job a couple years ago. So, I just

404
00:45:51,760 --> 00:46:02,160
wanted to come up here and, you know,
tell you a little bit about uh DevCom

405
00:45:56,359 --> 00:46:07,200
and uh just how we how we work and um
You know, I've been in Solar eight years

406
00:46:03,839 --> 00:46:11,200
now. DEPCOM's been around about 15. Uh,
it started out as a disabled

407
00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:15,200
veteranowned company and it's moved on
to other things now. But,

408
00:46:12,839 --> 00:46:20,560
uh, at the peak of everything, we'll
probably be at about 150 to 175 people

409
00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:25,599
out here. Most of the employees
hopefully will be slotted from the

410
00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:29,599
general area. Um, if we get to a point
where we need to expand, then it will

411
00:46:27,599 --> 00:46:34,400
expand in Virginia. It will not expand
outside of that.

412
00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:40,400
We do live our lives and our company
from a principalbased management. So we

413
00:46:37,359 --> 00:46:45,680
take pride in what we do. Um we are all
over the country. We're all over uh the

414
00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:51,760
world actually. We've built in uh Puerto
Rico and uh I actually am looking at a

415
00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:56,760
job down there now. So we're very very
good at what we do. Uh we do take pride

416
00:46:54,319 --> 00:47:02,119
in in our work and ensuring that the
locals

417
00:46:59,079 --> 00:47:08,319
are taken care of to the best of our
ability and uh yeah I just wanted to

418
00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:10,640
come up here and say my piece. I
appreciate

419
00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:16,520
everybody. The next speaker is Karen
Drosiaak.

420
00:47:26,560 --> 00:47:33,520
Good morning. My name is Karen Drosiaak.
I'm with First Solar. We are the largest

421
00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:38,720
American solar technology and solar
manufacturing company. We are proud to

422
00:47:36,240 --> 00:47:44,560
be a supplier of the solar modules for
the Seven Bridges project. Um, solar is

423
00:47:42,400 --> 00:47:51,760
very much real. We wouldn't be standing
here 26 years later. Um we were founded

424
00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:57,599
back in 1999. More than 65% of new
electricity generation uh installed last

425
00:47:54,960 --> 00:48:02,280
year was solar. And that's because it is
affordable and it is the fastest

426
00:48:00,240 --> 00:48:08,400
electricity generation that can be
deployed. Not only is it um real, but it

427
00:48:06,079 --> 00:48:13,359
can be manufactured here in America. And
I'm not just talking about imported from

428
00:48:10,880 --> 00:48:17,359
abroad and assembled here. I'm talking
about a sheet of glass goes in at one of

429
00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:22,240
our factories and a completed solar
module comes out about three hours

430
00:48:19,720 --> 00:48:28,319
later. We're not just manufacturing
here, but we've built a domestic

431
00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:32,800
American supply chain with uh soda ash
and and silica miners supplying the raw

432
00:48:30,960 --> 00:48:39,160
materials for the glass that we use in
our products. Um, we're creating real

433
00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:43,960
long-term jobs all across our value
chain which are supporting our

434
00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:49,599
facilities and supporting projects like
these. Um, our Ohio facilities, we have

435
00:48:47,680 --> 00:48:54,319
three Ohio facilities which have
received the highest recognition from

436
00:48:51,599 --> 00:48:58,960
the Ohio EPA, the encouraging
environmental excellence award, uh,

437
00:48:56,400 --> 00:49:06,000
platinum award. So, we are proud to be
doing solar the right way. We also have

438
00:49:02,640 --> 00:49:11,200
been recycling for for 20 years now. So
we established the industry's first

439
00:49:07,680 --> 00:49:15,440
global recycling program back in 2005
and we've been recycling ever since.

440
00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:20,640
Recovering the semiconductor material
and reusing it in new panels. Our

441
00:49:18,079 --> 00:49:25,440
technology is not a new technology. It
is a prudent one which has been safely

442
00:49:23,040 --> 00:49:31,280
operating in the field for more than 20
years. It has been installed on drinking

443
00:49:28,319 --> 00:49:35,920
water facilities in Berlin, Germany, and
is a technology of choice for leading

444
00:49:33,680 --> 00:49:42,920
utilities and energy providers. Thank
you.

445
00:49:38,480 --> 00:49:42,920
Next speaker is Matt Karns.

446
00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:54,079
Good morning. Uh my name is Matt Karns.
I live at 34 Johnson Road in Falmouth,

447
00:49:50,720 --> 00:49:59,599
Maine, but I've spent um a lot of time
in Meckllinmberg County since 2017 when

448
00:49:57,520 --> 00:50:04,960
we negotiated the land agreement with
Mr. Mullen. Um I've had the pleasure of

449
00:50:02,000 --> 00:50:10,800
of working with y'all and have uh really
appreciated uh the hospitality for

450
00:50:07,119 --> 00:50:16,160
investment in this community. Um I think
I'm I'm very proud of what Cliff and his

451
00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:18,680
team have done here. Um, I liken the
seven bridges project kind of like going

452
00:50:17,760 --> 00:50:23,920
to the
optometrist and when the doctor says,

453
00:50:21,280 --> 00:50:27,680
"Is this right or is this right?" We
knew the project wasn't right when we

454
00:50:25,599 --> 00:50:33,040
started. We had a we came in with whole
cloth. Solar projects are never perfect.

455
00:50:30,319 --> 00:50:37,839
And then we started listening. And when
we started listening, we realized there

456
00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:41,599
was concern about Scots Crossroad
traffic. So, we made a change. We

457
00:50:40,240 --> 00:50:46,240
realized there were concerns about the
Maharin River. So, we made a change. We

458
00:50:44,640 --> 00:50:52,240
realized there were neighbor concerns.
So we shrunk the size of the project

459
00:50:49,400 --> 00:50:56,640
50%. When you go to the optometrists,
you hopefully come out with the perfect

460
00:50:53,920 --> 00:51:00,720
view and the perfect outcome. These
projects are never perfect, but this

461
00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:04,640
project is born out of feedback from
this community. So we think this is the

462
00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:10,280
perfect solar project for this
community. It has been shaped by public

463
00:51:06,960 --> 00:51:14,559
input from day one. I'll give you two
numbers. The first is eight. That's the

464
00:51:13,200 --> 00:51:19,119
number of years that we've been working
on this project. The second is 10

465
00:51:17,119 --> 00:51:25,040
million and that's the number of dollars
that we've invested in this project with

466
00:51:22,160 --> 00:51:29,839
power investment with long lead ter long
lead time commitments and we have

467
00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:34,480
invested in this county through the
relationships that we formed with

468
00:51:31,920 --> 00:51:40,640
neighbors with businesses who we now
count as friends. And I think u I just

469
00:51:37,839 --> 00:51:47,359
would say this is a project that is
about this county now. It is about the

470
00:51:44,319 --> 00:51:51,839
fingerprints of local people who have
informed what it's going to look like,

471
00:51:49,359 --> 00:51:55,720
how it's going to work, and if it's not
working, we're going to be here to fix

472
00:51:53,599 --> 00:52:03,440
it because we own and operate these
projects. So I would just say this is

473
00:51:59,880 --> 00:52:07,119
about the perfect moment in time to say
we've been at it for eight years. Let's

474
00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:11,520
approve this project and move forward
because it's by for and about the people

475
00:52:09,280 --> 00:52:16,720
of this county. Thank you very much. I
appreciate it. Thank you. Next speaker

476
00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:16,720
is

477
00:52:23,720 --> 00:52:30,880
Tom. Good morning. I'm Tom Y. I'm from
McKenna, Virginia. Originally from

478
00:52:29,359 --> 00:52:37,040
Kimbridge, Virginia, just north of
Meckllinburgg. Um, I am on the board

479
00:52:34,079 --> 00:52:42,240
member of Evergreen Team. Um, I'm here
with Sharon Flowers, um, who is also an

480
00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:48,520
employee of Evergreen Team and she's a
native of Meckllinmberg County. Um, I

481
00:52:44,720 --> 00:52:55,920
formed Evergreen Team in 2012 as an
environmental nonprofit land trust. Um,

482
00:52:52,960 --> 00:53:00,880
since that time, we have grown to be the
largest land trust, private land trust

483
00:52:58,160 --> 00:53:06,160
in the state of Virginia.
We're very proud of that. We have

484
00:53:02,400 --> 00:53:10,800
conserved over 52,000 acres statewide
with a focus in Southside Virginia. In

485
00:53:09,119 --> 00:53:15,200
Meckllinmberg County alone, we have
conserved over 2,400 acres in

486
00:53:13,680 --> 00:53:23,280
conservation easements. And that's in
perpetuity. That's saving farmlands and

487
00:53:19,480 --> 00:53:27,839
timberlands. We work with land owners,
military bases. We're very close

488
00:53:26,160 --> 00:53:32,319
partners with the Ward Burton Wall
Foundation. We work with veteran groups

489
00:53:30,640 --> 00:53:37,839
and we have environmental education
programs for

490
00:53:34,119 --> 00:53:42,800
use. We have also evaluated renewable
energy projects throughout the state of

491
00:53:39,839 --> 00:53:48,800
Virginia and Pennsylvania. Many many
projects that include both solar and

492
00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:54,480
wind turbine projects. Most of those we
would say we would not approve and um

493
00:53:51,839 --> 00:54:00,720
have have worked against those because
of numerous environmental issues.

494
00:53:58,480 --> 00:54:04,839
But after evaluating this long road
energy

495
00:54:01,800 --> 00:54:09,160
project, we say they are doing it
correctly. They are helping the

496
00:54:06,880 --> 00:54:12,960
environment through many different
ways. Through thorough and thoughtful

497
00:54:11,599 --> 00:54:18,559
planning, they're minimizing
environmental issues. They're enhancing

498
00:54:15,599 --> 00:54:21,559
biodiversity and wildlife corridors. And
they're accounting for aesthetics and

499
00:54:20,240 --> 00:54:27,359
visual
integration. They do this in numerous

500
00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:34,640
ways. One, as Cliff had said, they are
conserving 250 acres of land between um

501
00:54:32,400 --> 00:54:38,480
the solar panels and the South Maharan
River. And that's where Evergreen is is

502
00:54:36,960 --> 00:54:42,640
helping. We are going to help them
conserve that in

503
00:54:39,880 --> 00:54:47,400
perpetuity, never to be developed,
always there as a buffer past even past

504
00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:52,319
this
project that exceeds the state

505
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:56,319
guidelines.
We're proud that it protects wildlife

506
00:54:54,160 --> 00:55:01,359
and biodiversity through habitat
conservation and

507
00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:05,640
mitigation. Evergreen team will also use
that 250 acres to do recreation with

508
00:55:04,000 --> 00:55:12,119
wounded
warriors. We do a lot with wounded

509
00:55:07,920 --> 00:55:16,880
warriors from hunting, fishing, and
camping. Other ways this helps the

510
00:55:14,640 --> 00:55:23,040
environment is that it is reducing
chemical chemicals and it uses

511
00:55:19,359 --> 00:55:28,040
sustainable ground cover management.
We have reviewed the erosion control

512
00:55:24,880 --> 00:55:33,599
measures and has done very
well. And what we really like about this

513
00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:38,680
project is that U Long Road Energy is
with this project and committed to this

514
00:55:35,520 --> 00:55:43,200
project from start to
finish. We think this project will

515
00:55:41,040 --> 00:55:46,920
contribute well to the local community
and it will be an asset to the

516
00:55:44,960 --> 00:55:53,599
Meckllinburgg County and the
environment. Thank you.

517
00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:53,599
Next speaker is Matt

518
00:56:07,640 --> 00:56:15,760
English Matt English um 246 Dean John's
Place

519
00:56:13,799 --> 00:56:19,599
Appamatics. Ladies and gentlemen, the
board staff, it's good to see everybody

520
00:56:17,200 --> 00:56:25,720
again. I think I visited y'all. Uh I
think it was sometime back in the

521
00:56:22,520 --> 00:56:31,760
winter. I come here today
um and tell you that uh Seven Bridges is

522
00:56:29,760 --> 00:56:36,000
probably one of the most proactive
professional organizations that I've

523
00:56:33,280 --> 00:56:39,040
ever dealt with. I come to you today to
tell you that I'm a farmer like many

524
00:56:37,520 --> 00:56:44,400
people you sitting on the board, many
people out here in the audience. Anyway,

525
00:56:41,839 --> 00:56:49,559
several years ago, I had the opportunity
to farm under solar. I didn't know how

526
00:56:47,520 --> 00:56:56,559
that was going to go. Neither did Solar
Company. And several years later, I

527
00:56:53,359 --> 00:57:03,000
recently got awarded the Climate Smart
Award program award. That award is given

528
00:56:59,359 --> 00:57:07,960
to one out of 150 recipients in the
nation and I am one of 150 and I take

529
00:57:06,319 --> 00:57:13,920
that proudly as a seventh generation
farmer anyway to receive that award.

530
00:57:11,520 --> 00:57:19,760
Still three of us foreman. We farm in
four counties. Closest here will be

531
00:57:16,160 --> 00:57:23,440
Charlotte County. When I come out of the
Charlotte County forum, I look and

532
00:57:21,119 --> 00:57:27,200
there's a sign right there and way and
it tells how far it is from Chase City.

533
00:57:25,599 --> 00:57:32,160
Man, I like take a left, come over here
and form. I hope y'all give me the

534
00:57:29,599 --> 00:57:35,480
opportunity to do it. Several people
spoke in opposition and said they're

535
00:57:34,000 --> 00:57:41,839
taking away the
farmland. All this land under solar

536
00:57:38,880 --> 00:57:47,280
panels will be formed. I hope with my
sheep, maybe some other

537
00:57:44,359 --> 00:57:52,240
neighbors. There's a lot of land. It's
good fence. Bow string tight. The

538
00:57:50,640 --> 00:57:54,680
livestock don't get out in the highway.
Stop the school buses and you'll commute

539
00:57:53,920 --> 00:57:59,200
to
work. The grass is better than most of

540
00:57:57,359 --> 00:58:02,480
our farms cuz these people got pockets
deeper than mine. And they can afford

541
00:58:00,880 --> 00:58:08,640
better grass, better fertiliz, and
better lime than I can and many other

542
00:58:04,799 --> 00:58:13,480
folks can too. If you want to preservate
farmland in the

543
00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:17,559
community and help local
farmers and wounded warriors come and

544
00:58:16,240 --> 00:58:24,520
hunt and
fish, then you do your obligation, what

545
00:58:21,280 --> 00:58:28,559
you were voted on to do, and you approve
this. Hopefully next time we'll meet up

546
00:58:27,359 --> 00:58:34,319
there at the forum and I'll show you
some sheep and beautiful

547
00:58:30,280 --> 00:58:38,240
grass. Thank y'all.
The next speaker is Brenda Walker.

548
00:58:53,520 --> 00:59:00,960
Good morning. Morning. Hope everyone's
having a good day. And I just come as a

549
00:58:58,799 --> 00:59:06,079
resident of Meckllinburgg County. I've
lived here all my life. And I hope each

550
00:59:03,760 --> 00:59:11,880
and every one of you will think about
this deeply before you make your

551
00:59:08,280 --> 00:59:16,319
decisions. This is a big thing for the
county, but we want to save the

552
00:59:14,240 --> 00:59:22,799
agriculture, too.
We don't want to waste the lands that we

553
00:59:19,680 --> 00:59:27,920
have. God doesn't make more land. This
is all we have. And we are here and we

554
00:59:25,760 --> 00:59:32,799
are to preserve it and we're here to
take care of it. And I would like to

555
00:59:29,920 --> 00:59:37,400
speak against the solar project as I did
when they tried to get it on 3362 Old

556
00:59:36,079 --> 00:59:43,920
Cox
Road. It's a mess. You can look at the

557
00:59:40,480 --> 00:59:49,599
others. There's not a good result
anywhere that I've seen. And I've seen

558
00:59:46,559 --> 00:59:54,400
all the trash and all the trashy people
that come in to work these projects and

559
00:59:52,480 --> 00:59:58,920
all the mud and the dirt that they bring
into the businesses in Chase

560
00:59:56,520 --> 01:00:06,000
City and they could care
less. So please take this deeply and ask

561
01:00:03,520 --> 01:00:11,400
as we would ask Jesus, what would you
do? This is your land. Thank you.

562
01:00:12,079 --> 01:00:15,359
Next speaker is Charles

563
01:00:25,799 --> 01:00:33,040
Jackson. I just brought this with me. I
don't have anything written down.

564
01:00:29,359 --> 01:00:38,599
Morning, Mr. Chairman and board. Um I'm
not a great speaker, but I'm just here

565
01:00:34,720 --> 01:00:43,359
to oppose the solar project.
Um, I've got solar panels on my house. I

566
01:00:41,520 --> 01:00:49,359
had them on six years ago. I got talked
into it by a slick talking guy. And the

567
01:00:47,440 --> 01:00:55,040
day that they come and put them in, I
couldn't find him. Uh, I couldn't find

568
01:00:51,920 --> 01:00:59,920
anybody. They did a mess. I regret it,
but I got talked into

569
01:00:57,000 --> 01:01:06,240
it. I think you need to do a lot more
thought and, you know, discussion about

570
01:01:03,280 --> 01:01:10,400
these. It might be a good thing, but I
just I'm here to oppose it and I wish

571
01:01:08,559 --> 01:01:19,400
you would think about it real hard
before you make your decision. Thank

572
01:01:14,119 --> 01:01:19,400
you. The next speaker is Judy Brothers.

573
01:01:28,559 --> 01:01:34,079
Hello, I'm Judy Brothers. I'm president
of the Friends of the Maharin River

574
01:01:32,559 --> 01:01:38,559
Group.
put my eyes on

575
01:01:35,640 --> 01:01:43,200
here. The sighting for this project is
completely inappropriate for a lot of

576
01:01:40,799 --> 01:01:48,160
the same reasons as the Antlers Road
project was.

577
01:01:45,079 --> 01:01:54,000
Also, the Maharin River is the municipal
water supply for Emporia, Virginia. In

578
01:01:51,680 --> 01:01:59,920
2022, I spoke with an employee for the
town who stated that the reservoir was

579
01:01:56,799 --> 01:02:03,440
already 25% silted out and creating
issues for the town water supply at that

580
01:02:02,160 --> 01:02:07,839
time.
The erosion issues are real. And

581
01:02:05,760 --> 01:02:14,920
recently, the Foxhound Project, which is
Long Road Energy in Halifax County with

582
01:02:10,960 --> 01:02:20,799
53 failed water ponds, hired the erosion
company, which cites

583
01:02:18,440 --> 01:02:26,960
renewables with a picture of solar
panels on their website as one of their

584
01:02:23,839 --> 01:02:33,079
selling points as to what they do. Um
and it says there that uh if not it's

585
01:02:30,640 --> 01:02:39,359
not if but when problems will
arise. So uh the thousand foot buffer is

586
01:02:36,960 --> 01:02:45,280
not enough as the neighbor to
Grasshopper had erosion

587
01:02:41,559 --> 01:02:50,319
issues and damage to their ponds and it
was many more than a thousand feet away.

588
01:02:48,079 --> 01:02:55,119
And we know that Butcher Creek has been
putting out a plume of silt into the

589
01:02:52,079 --> 01:02:59,079
lake some 10 miles away with no fix in
sight. And we have drone footage of

590
01:02:57,200 --> 01:03:06,400
that, by the way.
Um, in 2012, the Scenic River

591
01:03:02,920 --> 01:03:11,520
report lists that the Maharin is a
threatened and endangered species water

592
01:03:09,200 --> 01:03:15,160
on the western mo most end, which is
where this project is, and is rated by

593
01:03:14,160 --> 01:03:21,920
the
VDGIF that uh this section is contains

594
01:03:19,280 --> 01:03:28,240
two state and globally significant
natural heritage resources that occur at

595
01:03:24,319 --> 01:03:33,559
three locations along the study segment.
Um the historical significance of this

596
01:03:30,720 --> 01:03:38,480
area has been vastly
understated. We have Spring Bank and

597
01:03:35,920 --> 01:03:45,520
Ravenscraftoft Plantation which used to
attach to the Maharin. It's within a

598
01:03:41,119 --> 01:03:49,920
mile or so from this site. Um and there
are five historical gris mills

599
01:03:47,520 --> 01:03:56,240
associated with this area as well. We
have Burwell's Mill, Rocky Mill, Reeks

600
01:03:52,799 --> 01:04:02,960
Mill, Hepern Mill, and Mill Grove. Uh,
Colonel Burwell was a resident at that

601
01:03:58,960 --> 01:04:07,680
home. He also uh was a prominent figure
along with Colonel Oliver and Bacon and

602
01:04:05,760 --> 01:04:12,280
with their headquarters were scattered
throughout the area too. Those are on a

603
01:04:09,200 --> 01:04:17,200
map you can see. Um, Colonel
Burwell also built Stone Land which

604
01:04:15,039 --> 01:04:22,640
burned down. This was on the other side
of this project more south. when

605
01:04:20,000 --> 01:04:27,280
Stoneland burned down later all those
stones were moved to Macallum and that's

606
01:04:24,799 --> 01:04:32,559
what they made Macallumore out of was
those stones. So there's a significant

607
01:04:30,079 --> 01:04:39,760
it's a lot of history in that area that
goes with all this uh something maybe

608
01:04:34,960 --> 01:04:45,680
that the county could use for uh future
you know visitors to come and see. Um

609
01:04:43,359 --> 01:04:51,280
and again the sighting for this project
is totally inappropriate. It endangers

610
01:04:48,319 --> 01:04:56,400
the community and its resources with
admitted forever chemicals in the solar

611
01:04:53,839 --> 01:05:01,760
panels plus the erosion issue. Please
vote no on this project. Thank you.

612
01:04:58,880 --> 01:05:06,039
Thank you.
Next speaker is Monty High Tower.

613
01:05:10,480 --> 01:05:16,720
Well, thank you ladies and gentlemen of
the

614
01:05:12,520 --> 01:05:22,480
board high tower 247 Autumn Lane Chase
City and for those who don't know where

615
01:05:19,200 --> 01:05:28,880
Autumn Lane is is off of Spanish Grove.
Uh I walk over my back door. I'm 400 ft

616
01:05:25,280 --> 01:05:35,039
from the Otter Creek Solar Project.
Uh, as that project was being built and

617
01:05:31,520 --> 01:05:39,839
is now being operated, I have had no
issues whatsoever. Uh, other than a

618
01:05:38,240 --> 01:05:46,119
light shine through the window, I went
to the contractors, asked them if they

619
01:05:42,640 --> 01:05:53,760
could, uh, move the
light. No problem. 10 minutes after I

620
01:05:49,680 --> 01:06:01,200
talked to them, the problem solved. Uh I
know that the

621
01:05:57,280 --> 01:06:06,079
uh blue stone project and the
grasshopper project were one of the best

622
01:06:04,079 --> 01:06:13,359
projects in the world the way they were
built. But uh the Otter Creek project is

623
01:06:10,720 --> 01:06:19,119
living there beside it. I've seen no
problem. No, no problem with the traffic

624
01:06:16,079 --> 01:06:26,000
on Spanish Grove. Uh, no problem with
the site

625
01:06:21,799 --> 01:06:31,280
itself. Also, and I've been working with
Long Road for probably eight years. Uh,

626
01:06:29,520 --> 01:06:35,760
when they first came into the area, they
came talked to me.

627
01:06:33,880 --> 01:06:41,160
Uh, started talking to me about
honeybees. They want to know how many

628
01:06:37,640 --> 01:06:48,079
honey bee hives that project would
support. I recommended that they were

629
01:06:45,680 --> 01:06:54,799
talking about the uh using pollinator
habitat

630
01:06:51,039 --> 01:07:02,720
uh over seven years. Everything I have
uh mentioned to them to improve the

631
01:06:56,839 --> 01:07:07,520
project like coming out 49 they have uh
worked into their

632
01:07:04,839 --> 01:07:12,880
project. So uh I think they have done
their due diligence on this project and

633
01:07:11,039 --> 01:07:17,400
probably the best that you going to be
able to

634
01:07:13,720 --> 01:07:23,000
find. Also with the
uh signing agreement, the $500,000 that

635
01:07:21,200 --> 01:07:28,960
would come to Chase City would be
greatly appreciated and needed

636
01:07:26,039 --> 01:07:34,440
because I've been a business owner in
Chase

637
01:07:29,960 --> 01:07:39,680
City. Uh we're celebrating our 50th
anniversary. So I know how hard it is to

638
01:07:37,359 --> 01:07:46,640
keep a business going in Chase City. And
if y'all been through CHC, y'all can see

639
01:07:41,839 --> 01:07:52,160
how how Main Street is going down. I
think this project will bring a influx

640
01:07:49,359 --> 01:07:57,119
of business to town which would be
fatally needed. And thank y'all. Thank

641
01:07:55,440 --> 01:08:01,319
you.
The next speaker is Woody Moore.

642
01:08:04,799 --> 01:08:12,799
Morning board, Mr. Chairman. My name is
Woody Moore. I live at 5189 Country Club

643
01:08:09,680 --> 01:08:19,520
Drive on the Dirt Park. Um I'm against
this uh being uh uh okayed and the

644
01:08:17,199 --> 01:08:23,839
reason being is uh everything that I
have seen. I hate to see people deceived

645
01:08:21,920 --> 01:08:27,199
and I hear all this stuff that's being
talked about with solar. I used to think

646
01:08:25,839 --> 01:08:31,600
it was a big it was the best thing
coming. I have done a lot of research on

647
01:08:29,759 --> 01:08:35,359
solar and I've done a lot of research on
what's happening right here in this

648
01:08:32,719 --> 01:08:42,319
county and I can tell you right now it's
it was stated earlier 17 18% is

649
01:08:39,719 --> 01:08:47,199
very probable that's all you'll ever see
out on one of these sites when it says

650
01:08:44,400 --> 01:08:51,520
80 megawws uh whatever that is supposed
to mean I think they made a typo there

651
01:08:49,679 --> 01:08:54,799
um there is no way that it will even
come close to it and if you don't

652
01:08:53,040 --> 01:08:59,279
believe me check the grid on what comes
out of the ones that's already there and

653
01:08:57,520 --> 01:09:04,080
what's being produced is nowhere near
what they claim that they're supposed to

654
01:09:00,719 --> 01:09:07,920
produce. Okay, that's one. Two, and I
know Monty, I love him, but over on

655
01:09:06,239 --> 01:09:11,040
Spanish Grove Road, I'm glad that he had
a good experience, but I've been over

656
01:09:09,520 --> 01:09:15,359
there and seen and been across a couple
of the farms that have are affected by

657
01:09:12,960 --> 01:09:18,640
the ones that are there. One, the one
project overhead doesn't work because it

658
01:09:16,799 --> 01:09:23,040
came all to pieces, just like
Grasshopper has messed up and doesn't

659
01:09:20,239 --> 01:09:27,920
work. Furthermore, the erosion problems
over there and uh we were roadcrop to

660
01:09:26,159 --> 01:09:31,839
farmers. We never got by by with that
stuff. We had to deal with making sure

661
01:09:29,600 --> 01:09:35,279
we covered that erosion situation.
Erosion over there. I've been over there

662
01:09:33,679 --> 01:09:40,880
when a big storm came through on that
man's farm and the solar farm is behind

663
01:09:37,799 --> 01:09:45,279
him more than a th000 ft if not more
than that. The water was coming out of

664
01:09:42,239 --> 01:09:49,600
it acrossing his driveway and into his
pond over three foot deep with red mud

665
01:09:47,759 --> 01:09:53,520
rolling. And we know this is a red mud
county. Everywhere it goes the red clay

666
01:09:51,120 --> 01:09:57,120
is going with it. And I don't see any
way that it had holding ponds and all

667
01:09:55,679 --> 01:10:01,280
this other stuff and told me, "Oh, that
takes care of it." I got pictures where

668
01:09:58,560 --> 01:10:06,080
it was running around the s the the
holding ponds and so it was not and I oh

669
01:10:04,159 --> 01:10:11,120
we going to do it better. Uh I would
hope that would be the case but I'm

670
01:10:08,000 --> 01:10:15,840
saying it doesn't work and um I'm
totally against it in that way. I also

671
01:10:13,120 --> 01:10:20,000
have uh as many have said about that. I
understand it's going into where

672
01:10:17,199 --> 01:10:23,920
Timberland was. Uh but Timberland's
green even though you cut it and replace

673
01:10:21,600 --> 01:10:28,320
it. is still green. The solar farm is
not green. There's nothing green about

674
01:10:25,440 --> 01:10:32,159
it. There's chemicals in it that do will
at some point be an issue to deal with

675
01:10:30,480 --> 01:10:35,440
if it don't ever leak out. The other one
is nobody has mentioned much about and

676
01:10:33,760 --> 01:10:39,440
I've seen a lot of stuff on this lately
which I hadn't seen and I'd asked

677
01:10:36,719 --> 01:10:43,920
questions about is fires and there are
those that have had fires with them and

678
01:10:42,080 --> 01:10:47,760
we talk about what happens the chemicals
that's in it. what happens with the air

679
01:10:46,000 --> 01:10:51,760
around the folks that live near it when
that chemical gets in the smoke or

680
01:10:49,440 --> 01:10:56,000
whatever if it does burn. And two, how
do our local volunteer fire departments

681
01:10:54,000 --> 01:10:59,679
gear up to be able to handle those
chemicals or whatever it may be when

682
01:10:57,760 --> 01:11:03,360
they go in to deal with it? And I know
this from a tank farm near where I

683
01:11:01,280 --> 01:11:06,560
pastor the church. They have to have
special foam and other things to be able

684
01:11:05,199 --> 01:11:09,679
to go in there and they have to have a
way to get in the fence to be able to

685
01:11:08,239 --> 01:11:15,280
deal with it because these places get
locked down in fences. So, it's a lot of

686
01:11:11,920 --> 01:11:24,600
issues that are negative in my book and
so I I'm against this old

687
01:11:19,159 --> 01:11:24,600
farm. The next speaker is Melanie Woods.

688
01:11:29,000 --> 01:11:34,199
Okay, we have Paul Brer.

689
01:11:34,560 --> 01:11:39,159
Okay. And James Jefferson.

690
01:11:39,679 --> 01:11:48,560
Good morning, members of the board. My
name is James Jefferson. Um I reside at

691
01:11:44,320 --> 01:11:52,480
1437 Edlas Road uh in Biton. Um the
first I want to uh say I'm gratified

692
01:11:50,719 --> 01:11:56,880
that um recently there was an
application denied to uh produce solar

693
01:11:54,719 --> 01:12:00,320
farm on on that road which is really
right down the road from where I live

694
01:11:58,159 --> 01:12:03,360
and uh I was kind of happy about that.
Uh I've heard a lot of the pros and

695
01:12:01,920 --> 01:12:08,520
cons. I heard the numbers back and
forth. Um, one thing I do know about

696
01:12:05,360 --> 01:12:13,360
life is time really will be the uh best
assessor of whether this a good deal or

697
01:12:10,880 --> 01:12:18,400
not. Um, again I heard the numbers I I
can't say whether they good or not. Um a

698
01:12:15,840 --> 01:12:23,920
lot of times numbers are uh often put
you know given to uh to get the will at

699
01:12:21,679 --> 01:12:27,920
uh what they attempting to do. But um
for me

700
01:12:25,320 --> 01:12:32,800
um when you get right down to it at at
what point or what does it stop at far

701
01:12:30,159 --> 01:12:37,360
as for solar farms here in Minburg
County and tying up you know the the

702
01:12:34,880 --> 01:12:41,199
land real estate with that down the road
when it's all over and done with um I

703
01:12:39,440 --> 01:12:45,040
think I hear some numbers what 25 30
year or whatever the project life is. uh

704
01:12:43,360 --> 01:12:49,120
what happens then to that property? Uh
what happens to the uh the soil, the the

705
01:12:47,280 --> 01:12:54,800
the animals that that would have
inhabited that area? So for me, um I say

706
01:12:51,920 --> 01:12:57,920
I'm against it and you know, if I don't
fight it now, you know, next day it'll

707
01:12:56,080 --> 01:13:03,040
be in my back door. So I rather, you
know, attempt to stop it now. Thank you.

708
01:13:00,239 --> 01:13:08,239
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is the last
person that pre-signed up to speak on

709
01:13:05,120 --> 01:13:11,239
this topic.
Okay.

710
01:13:11,679 --> 01:13:14,320
Uh

711
01:13:19,679 --> 01:13:28,679
So, um, I certainly want to give anybody
that had, uh, wants the opportunity to

712
01:13:24,560 --> 01:13:28,679
speak to go ahead and speak.

713
01:13:34,800 --> 01:13:43,159
Brandon Estus, 31257, Highway 49, Chase
City,

714
01:13:38,760 --> 01:13:47,920
Virginia. Why am I here? Um
there's, you know, unlike it seems like

715
01:13:45,840 --> 01:13:53,920
99% of folks that are, you know, here
might have uh something to

716
01:13:50,040 --> 01:14:00,280
gain or maybe lose. I don't gain any
money or lose any money with this

717
01:13:56,719 --> 01:14:05,960
project or any project. Uh I'm here
because I believe that this is wrong and

718
01:14:03,360 --> 01:14:12,480
I have from the beginning.
And you know, uh there's folks that have

719
01:14:09,600 --> 01:14:16,960
connections that stand to make money on
things and we come up here and you know

720
01:14:14,560 --> 01:14:22,719
it's understandable that we would want
to support our interests, right? But uh

721
01:14:20,719 --> 01:14:30,880
I live here. I've lived here most of my
life and uh I just I I I'm trying to

722
01:14:26,560 --> 01:14:33,560
find reasons to stay here. Uh I don't
you know I don't want to see my entire

723
01:14:32,560 --> 01:14:37,520
county
gentrified. I stayed here because I

724
01:14:35,920 --> 01:14:42,880
didn't want to go to the big city. I
didn't want to be surrounded by

725
01:14:40,679 --> 01:14:46,719
corporations. And let's not, we don't
have to be naive about this.

726
01:14:44,159 --> 01:14:51,920
Corporations don't have morals. They
don't care. They don't give a rip about

727
01:14:48,960 --> 01:14:56,560
any of us in this room. They come here
to make money. And the people that they

728
01:14:54,000 --> 01:15:01,440
send to talk to y'all, that's what
they're here to do. They're here to tell

729
01:14:57,920 --> 01:15:06,480
you whatever is necessary to get you to
vote for something. They're not here to

730
01:15:04,159 --> 01:15:10,239
tell you what might be true. We have
people in we have 10 different land

731
01:15:08,159 --> 01:15:15,760
owners in Louisa County who are
litigating against solar farms because

732
01:15:12,719 --> 01:15:21,600
of what it's done to their land. We have
uh at least one in our own county who

733
01:15:18,239 --> 01:15:25,960
has won a lawsuit over the erosion
issues that are supposedly non-existent.

734
01:15:26,440 --> 01:15:34,920
So
again, he who speaketh with fork tongue,

735
01:15:32,800 --> 01:15:40,080
he always shows his
face. They come, they want to do

736
01:15:37,760 --> 01:15:46,960
whatever is necessary to get the the
government money because like I've told

737
01:15:43,760 --> 01:15:50,400
y'all before, it's a,000% subsidized
from federal government money. That is

738
01:15:48,800 --> 01:15:55,120
what these companies are here to do.
What Meckllinmberg County is a ripe

739
01:15:52,719 --> 01:16:00,239
morsel for the taking to be picked off
the vine and to be squosed dry and for

740
01:15:58,159 --> 01:16:05,199
them to then leave as all the other sol
they told us that they would sell the

741
01:16:02,080 --> 01:16:11,679
project after they're done or other this
is the typical thing that other

742
01:16:07,640 --> 01:16:15,280
uh that other project starters will then
sell it to other solar companies. They

743
01:16:13,679 --> 01:16:20,719
don't they don't care. They just need to
they just need you to be sweetened up

744
01:16:18,640 --> 01:16:24,960
enough to pass it and then they can get
their cash and run. And that's all I

745
01:16:22,960 --> 01:16:29,520
have to say today. Hope youall have a
blessed day. Thank you.

746
01:16:27,440 --> 01:16:34,960
Anyone else would like to speak
concerning the sighting agreement.

747
01:16:32,800 --> 01:16:39,640
Okay. You come to the podium. State your
name. I signed up on the other

748
01:16:43,040 --> 01:16:48,920
you
Either one. Either one is fine.

749
01:16:50,080 --> 01:16:58,320
Good morning. My name is Deborah Dantis
and I reside at 885 Scots Crossroads.

750
01:16:55,840 --> 01:17:03,679
I'm here today to vehemently oppose the
Seven Bridges Solar Project. So, let's

751
01:17:00,960 --> 01:17:09,400
talk about the truth. The main entrance
to this prop project is across the road

752
01:17:06,159 --> 01:17:14,960
from my yard. I have spoken with several
employees and even invited them into my

753
01:17:12,080 --> 01:17:19,760
home on two occasions. Howal McCabe has
visited me at my home on three separate

754
01:17:17,280 --> 01:17:25,440
occasions and he has called me no less
than six times. The latest call was on

755
01:17:22,719 --> 01:17:29,600
March 27th, 2025 after the planning
commission granted them permission to

756
01:17:27,760 --> 01:17:34,560
proceed with the project. He called to
inform me that VOTE had mandated all

757
01:17:32,560 --> 01:17:40,719
18-wheeler traffic would use the Highway
49 entrance. Prior to that, he called me

758
01:17:37,679 --> 01:17:44,600
on October 29th, 2024 to inform me of
setbacks and modifications they had made

759
01:17:43,120 --> 01:17:49,120
to the original
plans. On his first visit to my home, I

760
01:17:47,360 --> 01:17:53,760
spoke with Hal and another man and
respectfully listened to them trying to

761
01:17:50,880 --> 01:17:57,199
sell me on the solar project. They in
turn listened to my long list of

762
01:17:55,280 --> 01:18:01,440
concerns and mentioned a good neighbor
agreement without going into much

763
01:17:59,120 --> 01:18:05,840
detail. They left and stated that they
would be in touch. About a month later,

764
01:18:03,440 --> 01:18:13,199
Hal arrived at my home and handd
delivered to me the Good Neighbor

765
01:18:10,679 --> 01:18:17,679
agreement. He handed me the four-page
agreement and told me to call him when I

766
01:18:15,040 --> 01:18:20,960
was ready to sign. After reading the
agreement, I knew that I would never

767
01:18:19,280 --> 01:18:25,840
sign it due to the content and
restrictions. This legal document

768
01:18:23,120 --> 01:18:31,120
offered $2,000 within 30 days of the
developer receiving a signed agreement

769
01:18:28,320 --> 01:18:35,000
as well as an additional 10,000 as long
as the neighbor compi complies with the

770
01:18:33,199 --> 01:18:40,719
obligations under the
agreement. Neighbor could not oppose

771
01:18:37,920 --> 01:18:45,280
construction or development etc etc.
neighbor releases and forever discharges

772
01:18:43,000 --> 01:18:50,800
developer together with its affiliates
and employees, contractors, etc., etc.

773
01:18:48,400 --> 01:18:56,239
from and against any and all complaints,
claims, liabilities, etc. of any nature

774
01:18:54,159 --> 01:18:59,840
whatsoever which are based upon arising
from or relating to the location of the

775
01:18:58,239 --> 01:19:05,760
project, construction, development,
permitting of the project, including but

776
01:19:02,960 --> 01:19:08,960
not limited to noise, dust, and traffic.
Both parties agreed to keep this

777
01:19:07,199 --> 01:19:13,120
agreement and the contents, including
the payment, strictly

778
01:19:10,760 --> 01:19:17,040
confidential. I called Hal and told him
that there was no way that I would ever

779
01:19:14,640 --> 01:19:21,440
sign that agreement. He replied that he
knew that I would not sign because of my

780
01:19:18,960 --> 01:19:26,880
previous concerns and stated that he
would pass along this information to his

781
01:19:23,520 --> 01:19:30,960
boss and stated that between you and me,
this is negotiable.

782
01:19:28,880 --> 01:19:35,199
I did in fact receive a phone call from
his boss, but I immediately told him I

783
01:19:33,280 --> 01:19:40,159
was opposed to the Seven Bridges Solar
Project and that nothing he could say

784
01:19:37,679 --> 01:19:44,719
would make me change my mind. The truth
is Long Road Energy did have a good

785
01:19:42,560 --> 01:19:50,159
neighbor agreement. It was not
implemented because no one accepted it.

786
01:19:47,440 --> 01:19:55,280
The truth is those that support solar
are benefiting

787
01:19:52,120 --> 01:19:59,360
financially and they also do not have a
solar

788
01:19:56,199 --> 01:20:03,679
project in their front yard or on the
road that they live

789
01:20:01,080 --> 01:20:09,040
on. Also, the electric companies
receive, and this figure may be off, but

790
01:20:05,840 --> 01:20:13,840
it's very close, $56,000 per acre of
solar and subsidies from the state of

791
01:20:11,280 --> 01:20:19,920
Virginia. They in turn offer thousands
of dollars to nonprofit organizations in

792
01:20:16,480 --> 01:20:24,000
your area, to schools, small towns, and
offer bribes in the form of good

793
01:20:21,840 --> 01:20:30,480
neighbor agreements. They are making
these donations with our tax money. And

794
01:20:28,239 --> 01:20:35,199
guess what? Our electric bills keep
going up. I leave this with you this

795
01:20:33,600 --> 01:20:40,640
final thought.
If solar is so great, why is it

796
01:20:38,159 --> 01:20:47,600
necessary for them to bribe their way
into our communities? Thank you.

797
01:20:44,719 --> 01:20:52,760
Thank you.
Anyone else wishing to speak on this?

798
01:20:54,640 --> 01:21:03,679
Good morning. My name is Pauline Keaton.
I reside at 121 West Third Street, J

799
01:20:59,760 --> 01:21:08,800
City. And I stand before you as a
product of Meckllinmberg County, a

800
01:21:06,159 --> 01:21:15,199
resident of Chase City, and a member of
Chase City Town

801
01:21:11,159 --> 01:21:19,719
Council. I've seen the community go from
thriving

802
01:21:16,920 --> 01:21:25,199
to fairly existing
sometimes.

803
01:21:21,880 --> 01:21:31,199
Um there's sometimes very little traffic
in and out of the town. Uh things have

804
01:21:28,159 --> 01:21:37,040
changed a lot from the times that Chase
City was the thriving community, but I'm

805
01:21:34,320 --> 01:21:42,360
here today to solicit support for
endorsement of the solar projects that

806
01:21:39,600 --> 01:21:47,679
are here for your vote
today. We live in an area with limited,

807
01:21:45,199 --> 01:21:53,760
very limited resources. And these
resources come mostly from taxpayers

808
01:21:50,360 --> 01:21:59,679
dollars and these monies can only go so
far. By the time we cover maintenance

809
01:21:56,800 --> 01:22:06,520
and repair cost, there's very little
left for much needed improvements and uh

810
01:22:04,120 --> 01:22:10,679
modernization. Revenue from outside
sources is welcome and needed to help

811
01:22:09,440 --> 01:22:16,719
keep things
afloat. This project has been supportive

812
01:22:13,440 --> 01:22:22,239
of activities in our town and promises
to continue to support us in the future.

813
01:22:20,080 --> 01:22:27,560
I strongly encourage the board to
approve the solar initiative as this

814
01:22:25,040 --> 01:22:33,040
would be a plus for the town and for the
county. And as you vote today, please

815
01:22:30,159 --> 01:22:38,000
remember that a vote for this project
can have positive implications for

816
01:22:35,199 --> 01:22:42,080
Meckllinburgg County. Thank you for your
consideration and for allowing me time

817
01:22:40,000 --> 01:22:45,320
to speak.
Thank you.

818
01:22:50,639 --> 01:22:58,480
Good morning. I'm Jeannie Gohagen. I
live in I own a home in Chase City. I

819
01:22:56,159 --> 01:23:04,960
work for John and Susan Mullen and I
have worked for them for 35 years plus.

820
01:23:02,239 --> 01:23:10,320
I've known Susan and John all my life.
They are good people. They would not put

821
01:23:07,520 --> 01:23:16,639
in something that would harm the area.
They have studied this as well as y'all

822
01:23:13,360 --> 01:23:22,639
have, as well as Seven Bridges has. They
know it's the right thing to do. They

823
01:23:19,040 --> 01:23:28,639
also have solar in their home. It is
supported by 180 kilowatt field. It is

824
01:23:26,239 --> 01:23:35,000
right behind their house, you see it. If
you go by their house, it is not bad

825
01:23:31,560 --> 01:23:42,239
looking. It enhances the
area. There's nothing wrong with it.

826
01:23:39,520 --> 01:23:47,920
they support it. I'm just here to say
I've seen in Chase City the activity

827
01:23:45,679 --> 01:23:51,960
that's created from the other solar
farms. Yes, they were not done

828
01:23:50,000 --> 01:23:58,320
correctly. There are some
problems. The um Grasshopper went in on

829
01:23:55,520 --> 01:24:03,760
a year where we had eight floods. So,
you can imagine any construction site

830
01:24:00,960 --> 01:24:07,679
during a period of eight floods is going
to cause problems. Your home

831
01:24:05,760 --> 01:24:11,360
construction site can cause the same
kind of problems.

832
01:24:09,679 --> 01:24:16,719
I've gotten to know the people at Seven
Bridges. They're good people. They've

833
01:24:14,159 --> 01:24:20,719
been here. They've been working hard to
support this

834
01:24:17,960 --> 01:24:24,560
project. I, for one, thought, "Oh my
god, Chase City is going to be the

835
01:24:22,239 --> 01:24:30,400
hottest town on the planet." I had no
clue. I started coming to these meetings

836
01:24:26,880 --> 01:24:38,480
and I learned so much. It's not that
way. And with the Microsoft coming in

837
01:24:34,960 --> 01:24:43,760
and the strain on the power grids, we've
got to have alternate uses. We've got to

838
01:24:41,360 --> 01:24:49,679
find alternate power. And to me,
harnessing the sun is a no-brainer. So,

839
01:24:46,800 --> 01:24:55,120
please think about it good and hard.
Yes, take your time, make a good

840
01:24:51,760 --> 01:24:59,159
informed decision, but believe in solar.
Thank you. Thank you.

841
01:25:01,679 --> 01:25:07,520
Good morning. I think it's still
morning, isn't

842
01:25:04,760 --> 01:25:11,360
it? Hey y'all, board of supervisors.
Glad to be in front of you. I have to

843
01:25:09,280 --> 01:25:16,159
say first, I'd like to thank you again
for your support of the Mecca Theater in

844
01:25:13,280 --> 01:25:20,639
Chase City, my life's mission. Today
though, I'm here to support Seven

845
01:25:18,000 --> 01:25:24,560
Bridges and their tireless mission to
see their project a reality in Chase

846
01:25:23,120 --> 01:25:29,600
City.
They have responded positively to every

847
01:25:27,120 --> 01:25:36,080
complaint and want to partner with us in
bringing solar to our community. Keyword

848
01:25:32,920 --> 01:25:41,880
partner. We will need every source we
can get for the Microsoft project.

849
01:25:38,679 --> 01:25:46,000
Traditional solar and
nuclear. And just remember, if we don't

850
01:25:44,159 --> 01:25:50,800
do solar, we're going to need more
nuclear.

851
01:25:47,840 --> 01:25:57,840
Also, I now have fear that we will
finish the theater and have no town

852
01:25:55,080 --> 01:26:02,480
left. In recent months, we have lost
stores like roses and now another

853
01:26:00,800 --> 01:26:06,960
business is closing. As you've heard
this morning, pallet one. I think there

854
01:26:04,400 --> 01:26:10,440
38 jobs that are going by the wayside.
And I frankly don't know what those

855
01:26:08,400 --> 01:26:15,760
people are going to do to
live. If we have no jobs, where will the

856
01:26:13,360 --> 01:26:21,360
folks work? The cost of living is
increasing because of Microsoft and

857
01:26:18,080 --> 01:26:26,639
there are few job fewer jobs by the day.
We need partners in the rebuilding of

858
01:26:23,360 --> 01:26:32,080
Chase City. Now, Seven Bridges is
reliable, trustworthy, and innovative.

859
01:26:29,120 --> 01:26:39,520
Please vote yes today. Bet on Seven
Bridges. Please bet on Chase City. I did

860
01:26:35,679 --> 01:26:45,679
bring with me three pages of uh for you,
which are a petition. I did one in Chase

861
01:26:42,159 --> 01:26:51,360
City. my cousin Elellanar Washington who
lives on Scott Cross state one in her

862
01:26:48,159 --> 01:26:58,239
area showing support. The last thing I
want to say is I know it's difficult

863
01:26:54,480 --> 01:27:02,040
being in your position but remember
remember how difficult it was with the

864
01:26:59,920 --> 01:27:07,360
high school making
decisions but also go back to something

865
01:27:04,639 --> 01:27:13,320
bigger which may have been appropriate
balance. Can you imagine how difficult

866
01:27:09,760 --> 01:27:17,480
it was to vote the damn into this
area? Important things are hard to

867
01:27:16,159 --> 01:27:23,040
decide
on. I leave this with you. I know that

868
01:27:20,400 --> 01:27:28,760
you will vote with your brain and your
heart. Thank you.

869
01:27:25,520 --> 01:27:28,760
Thank you.

870
01:27:35,520 --> 01:27:44,560
My name is Ryan Brankley. I've been a
citizen of this county for 40 years and

871
01:27:40,800 --> 01:27:50,000
Chase City uh specifically. I've seen a
lot of change in this county in the last

872
01:27:47,199 --> 01:27:53,480
15 years. I think we all know that
there's there's a power issue in this

873
01:27:51,600 --> 01:27:59,639
county with with the advancements of
Microsoft. Um I also think we know that

874
01:27:56,400 --> 01:28:05,199
this solar project is not the answer to
those power issues that we have. I would

875
01:28:02,560 --> 01:28:09,360
uh appreciate your opposition of this.
I've watched a lot of people get up here

876
01:28:06,639 --> 01:28:14,960
today who are not from this county and
who are not do not reside in this county

877
01:28:12,080 --> 01:28:18,480
in support of this and I would really
appreciate y'all taking that in

878
01:28:16,639 --> 01:28:23,760
consideration in y'all's vote. Thank
you. Thank

879
01:28:20,760 --> 01:28:23,760
you.

880
01:28:24,040 --> 01:28:31,560
Anyone else wishing to speak on the
sighting agreement in this public

881
01:28:28,560 --> 01:28:31,560
hearing?

882
01:28:36,080 --> 01:28:41,880
Good morning, Dusty Forbes, the town
manager at Chase

883
01:28:39,960 --> 01:28:47,520
City. This
subject is a sticky one and I know it's

884
01:28:46,400 --> 01:28:52,239
going to take a lot of thought and
consideration from the board on this.

885
01:28:50,480 --> 01:28:56,960
Yes, the gentleman was correct. There
are people who are going to receive a

886
01:28:54,400 --> 01:29:02,600
financial benefit from this solar
project. And yes, Chase City looks to be

887
01:28:59,679 --> 01:29:10,920
one of the recipients of that financial
benefit. Chase City's operating budget

888
01:29:05,840 --> 01:29:18,360
is about $3.9 million a year for
everything. South Hill's operating

889
01:29:13,120 --> 01:29:18,360
budget this year is $41 million.

890
01:29:18,560 --> 01:29:28,840
Clarksville's operating budget is $10
million. And I hesitate to say that the

891
01:29:25,199 --> 01:29:34,320
county's operating budget is over $100
million. So when you think that $500,000

892
01:29:32,320 --> 01:29:39,199
won't make an impact on Chase City,
you're wrong. It will. And I know that

893
01:29:37,520 --> 01:29:44,480
there are people opposed to this. And
yes, I hate that we have to look out for

894
01:29:41,920 --> 01:29:49,520
external dollars, but Chase City just
does not have the funds or the money any

895
01:29:47,280 --> 01:29:53,440
other way. We can't tax our way out of
it. We can't increase rates because

896
01:29:51,760 --> 01:29:57,040
people can't afford to pay the increased
rates that we have to charge in Chase

897
01:29:55,199 --> 01:30:02,239
City. The infrastructure is 100 years
old. I have water leaks every week. I

898
01:29:59,760 --> 01:30:06,719
have sewer leaks about once a month. We
have to fix those things. And without

899
01:30:04,000 --> 01:30:10,719
the funds to do it, we can't operate the
town. And if we don't operate the town,

900
01:30:08,960 --> 01:30:16,760
it goes away and then it becomes the
county's problem. Thank you. Thank you.

901
01:30:18,320 --> 01:30:20,719
Anyone

902
01:30:21,880 --> 01:30:31,920
else? Hearing no one, uh we will close
the public

903
01:30:27,560 --> 01:30:36,000
hearing. This is election district 7. It
is my

904
01:30:33,400 --> 01:30:40,560
district and after conducting a duly
advertised public

905
01:30:38,280 --> 01:30:43,520
hearing, I would like to make the motion
that it is hereby resolved by the

906
01:30:42,239 --> 01:30:48,120
Meckllinburgg County Board of
Supervisors that the sighting agreement

907
01:30:45,520 --> 01:30:54,560
with Seven Bridges Solar
LLC for the Seven Bridges Solar

908
01:30:51,880 --> 01:30:59,679
Facility, which sighting agreement set
forth certain conditions profered by the

909
01:30:57,199 --> 01:31:06,800
applicant as part of the negotiation
between the County and the applicant

910
01:31:02,320 --> 01:31:06,800
pursuant to Virginia Code section

911
01:31:10,040 --> 01:31:18,239
15.2-2316.8 is rejected in the form this
day

912
01:31:15,639 --> 01:31:24,040
presented to my other board members.
That means a yes

913
01:31:20,440 --> 01:31:29,239
vote rejects the sighting
agreement. Any discussion from the

914
01:31:26,239 --> 01:31:29,239
board?

915
01:31:33,679 --> 01:31:44,800
Jenny, hearing no discussion. Roll call.
Miss Miss Black,

916
01:31:40,040 --> 01:31:52,239
um I know this has been a rough topic
and um I've been all over the map on it,

917
01:31:48,480 --> 01:32:00,080
against it, for it, for it, in the
middle. When solar was first

918
01:31:55,719 --> 01:32:04,440
introduced, as with that's made. It was
not done

919
01:32:01,400 --> 01:32:13,040
correctly, but improvements have been
made. And one of my questions that I

920
01:32:07,199 --> 01:32:18,880
asked was, can the soil be returned to
uh

921
01:32:13,960 --> 01:32:24,560
farming? And I was told no, but and this
is per um Virginia Tech, it can be

922
01:32:22,320 --> 01:32:34,080
amended again deep tillage and
amendments to return it to production.

923
01:32:29,360 --> 01:32:39,040
And my interest with um the camp with
Southern Bridges is that it was a

924
01:32:36,719 --> 01:32:47,040
collaboration between Southern Bridges
and um Long

925
01:32:41,800 --> 01:32:52,000
Road and they listened to the community
and what they wanted and they

926
01:32:52,199 --> 01:32:59,760
responded and I really commend them for
that because in the future we are solar

927
01:32:58,080 --> 01:33:05,880
is not going
and it will be taken out of our hands.

928
01:33:03,040 --> 01:33:15,600
How much? I don't know.
But we can use the partnership between

929
01:33:11,520 --> 01:33:22,520
the community and Longwood as a model
for doing it correctly.

930
01:33:18,480 --> 01:33:31,239
But the key thing that has
um that I look at is that property

931
01:33:26,560 --> 01:33:37,800
owners have the right to use their
property as long as it's legal and it's

932
01:33:35,040 --> 01:33:43,480
within the bounds of
ordinances. So consider you have

933
01:33:41,520 --> 01:33:50,520
property owners that have
leased their land for towers.

934
01:33:48,480 --> 01:33:58,000
and receive
compensation. Consider you have

935
01:33:54,760 --> 01:34:02,600
agricultural land owners who have used
their

936
01:33:59,080 --> 01:34:09,199
property for for their
use. And last week I was just in writing

937
01:34:06,000 --> 01:34:13,800
lately, you look at the amount of timber
that has been

938
01:34:10,679 --> 01:34:21,440
cut. The land is
bare. Uh it affects the wildlife.

939
01:34:18,040 --> 01:34:25,360
habitat. It's not It's unsightly. It's,
you know, it'll take if if it's going to

940
01:34:23,760 --> 01:34:33,400
they're going to regrow the timber, it's
going to take a while. But still, that

941
01:34:28,000 --> 01:34:41,679
was that land owner's right to use his
property. And I look at it the same way.

942
01:34:37,600 --> 01:34:50,360
The land owners where the uh for the
proposed site of seven bridges have the

943
01:34:46,840 --> 01:34:55,480
right to use their
land. and they have gone out of their

944
01:34:53,040 --> 01:35:05,120
way to ensure
that it will not be visible to

945
01:35:01,000 --> 01:35:08,920
those who uh travel up and down um
Scott's crossroad.

946
01:35:07,040 --> 01:35:14,840
And recently I went and looked at
another solar

947
01:35:11,320 --> 01:35:23,280
site where they are going to hope to
develop and looked at the full grown

948
01:35:20,040 --> 01:35:28,960
trees road back into that development
proposed development and there's no way

949
01:35:25,840 --> 01:35:37,679
anyone is going to see it.
Whether we want to or not, change is

950
01:35:33,560 --> 01:35:42,360
coming and you can't stop it. Like I
said, it's going to be taken out of our

951
01:35:39,440 --> 01:35:50,360
hands. To what extent, I don't
know.

952
01:35:44,040 --> 01:35:57,960
But everyone has the right to use their
property if it is not impacting others

953
01:35:55,480 --> 01:36:05,560
negatively.
Anyone else? One thing I I think also we

954
01:36:03,120 --> 01:36:12,400
need to be mindful of is I
believe per emergency services and the

955
01:36:08,880 --> 01:36:18,080
fire chief's association that if we have
a wildfire break out into a solar

956
01:36:15,360 --> 01:36:23,679
facility, the county's policy is to
surround it and watch it burn. We don't

957
01:36:20,960 --> 01:36:29,000
have a it is it's a solar facility and
it's electrical compound that produces

958
01:36:26,880 --> 01:36:34,800
electricity and it's not safe for our
volunteers to enter such. With that

959
01:36:32,239 --> 01:36:38,639
being said, when you have those panels
and the chemicals that make up those

960
01:36:36,480 --> 01:36:43,760
panels and you introduce fire in
something like that, we don't know what

961
01:36:40,800 --> 01:36:48,400
the longterm effects may be.
They may be fine in the county, but when

962
01:36:46,320 --> 01:36:53,920
you introduce something like fire, we
don't know. That's the general consensus

963
01:36:50,719 --> 01:36:59,000
that I think. And fire is a realistic,
as we've seen in California. I think

964
01:36:56,320 --> 01:37:03,960
they've got a big wakeup call. It can
happen just when you think it can.

965
01:37:05,000 --> 01:37:09,400
Okay. Anyone else?

966
01:37:09,520 --> 01:37:15,239
I would remind again since we've had
discussion

967
01:37:13,080 --> 01:37:20,000
that a yes
vote is to reject the sighting

968
01:37:18,000 --> 01:37:31,199
agreement. Jenny, you want to do a roll
call? Mr. Brinkley? Yes. Mr. Grabbit?

969
01:37:25,199 --> 01:37:38,239
Yes. Mr. Spence? Yes. Mr. Harrow? Yes.
Mr. Wilkinson? Yes. Miss Blackwell? No.

970
01:37:35,920 --> 01:37:45,480
Slundy? Yes.
Mr. Tanner. No.

971
01:37:41,360 --> 01:37:45,480
Mr. Jennings. Yes.

972
01:37:45,840 --> 01:37:48,840
Okay.

973
01:37:49,440 --> 01:37:58,080
Mr. Hendrick, you're up next.
The next item is the special exception

974
01:37:54,719 --> 01:38:02,280
permit by Southern Bridges Solar LLC for
a special exception permit to construct

975
01:37:59,679 --> 01:38:09,199
an 80 megawatt utility scale solar
facility up to 435 acres out of 1,249

976
01:38:06,400 --> 01:38:12,199
acres to be located on county tax map
number

977
01:38:10,440 --> 01:38:17,360
01300-
A-001 partial rocket number

978
01:38:15,159 --> 01:38:22,400
7779. This property is owned as
agriculture is located on the west side

979
01:38:18,960 --> 01:38:26,840
of route 633 Scotch Cross Road and is
intersection with 681 Honey Tree Road in

980
01:38:24,560 --> 01:38:30,480
Lexon District 7berg
County.

981
01:38:28,440 --> 01:38:34,119
Okay, Cliff, are you going to speak on
behalf of this application?

982
01:38:57,040 --> 01:39:02,719
Good morning, chairman, supervisors.
Thank you again for your time

983
01:39:00,880 --> 01:39:06,400
considering this application. Really
appreciate

984
01:39:04,040 --> 01:39:09,000
it. My name is Darren Lawrence. I work
for Long Road Energy. I'm the vice

985
01:39:07,920 --> 01:39:14,000
president of
environmental. Cliff is in charge of the

986
01:39:11,840 --> 01:39:18,000
whole project development. I'm in charge
of implementation. So when Cliff says,

987
01:39:16,719 --> 01:39:22,800
"Here's a plan and here's what we're
going to do." I get to make sure that we

988
01:39:21,280 --> 01:39:26,920
execute everything that we say we're
going to do. And this really comes from

989
01:39:25,520 --> 01:39:32,159
one of our
founders since we started this company.

990
01:39:30,080 --> 01:39:36,800
His comment was this is our motto. We
make and honor our commitments. And my

991
01:39:35,040 --> 01:39:40,320
presentation today is really two things.
One, I just want to talk about our

992
01:39:38,880 --> 01:39:45,440
compliance with the special exception
permit. And two, I want to provide some

993
01:39:42,719 --> 01:39:50,639
examples and other places we built to
give you more confidence that we are not

994
01:39:48,000 --> 01:39:55,280
like the other developers. We have a
great reputation in this industry. When

995
01:39:53,040 --> 01:40:01,440
Cliff and I first came and met in the
county back in 2017 with Mr. and Mrs.

996
01:39:58,080 --> 01:40:06,080
Mullen and with leaders here, Long Road
did not have any projects. We didn't

997
01:40:03,360 --> 01:40:12,960
even have any projects in construction.
Today, we are the 15th largest renewable

998
01:40:09,360 --> 01:40:19,040
energy company in the United States. And
I attribute that to our tenacious and

999
01:40:16,880 --> 01:40:22,880
resilient commitment to following
through with doing what we say we're

1000
01:40:21,040 --> 01:40:26,639
going to do. That's just who we are.
It's how we're branded. It's how we

1001
01:40:24,159 --> 01:40:30,800
think. It's in our DNA. So, when we say
we're going to do something and we make

1002
01:40:28,159 --> 01:40:34,040
these promises, these are promises that
we keep.

1003
01:40:35,639 --> 01:40:42,800
Maybe maybe the place to focus here
about the special exception permit

1004
01:40:40,280 --> 01:40:47,520
application is we started off with a
project years ago and we listened to the

1005
01:40:45,119 --> 01:40:52,639
community and we modified it and we've
gotten to the point where the planning

1006
01:40:49,760 --> 01:40:58,719
commission has recommended approval of
this special exception permit. And not

1007
01:40:55,840 --> 01:41:04,320
only that, the planning commission has
deemed that we are in substantial accord

1008
01:41:02,480 --> 01:41:08,880
with the comprehensive plan of
Meckllinmberg County. And I want to

1009
01:41:05,760 --> 01:41:13,040
spend just a moment on what that means.
We have read the comprehensive plan. We

1010
01:41:10,960 --> 01:41:17,600
have read the ordinances. We have talked
to the people to understand what did you

1011
01:41:15,119 --> 01:41:21,840
really mean when you said this is what
you have to do to be spaced out farther

1012
01:41:19,760 --> 01:41:27,199
or we need a buffer or we want to make
sure that you're maintaining the rural

1013
01:41:24,080 --> 01:41:31,360
nature of this county. We have digested
that and thought about it and turned

1014
01:41:28,880 --> 01:41:35,520
that into our application to make sure
that we are adhering to everything

1015
01:41:33,280 --> 01:41:42,080
that's so important to you who live here
in this county. And

1016
01:41:38,199 --> 01:41:46,239
so if we are a land of laws and we are
in compliance with the laws, the

1017
01:41:44,239 --> 01:41:51,840
ordinance, the rules, the regulations of
this county, then isn't it a right of a

1018
01:41:49,600 --> 01:41:55,199
person who owns a piece of land in
compliance with those laws to be able to

1019
01:41:53,679 --> 01:41:59,360
go ahead with a plan that they have
spent time and millions of dollars

1020
01:41:57,159 --> 01:42:04,639
developing? Or would you take away that
right for what reason if there isn't one

1021
01:42:02,159 --> 01:42:08,080
that ties back to being in compliance
with the law? And I think that's a

1022
01:42:06,400 --> 01:42:11,920
fundamental threshold question about
your voting today is whether you believe

1023
01:42:10,239 --> 01:42:18,480
that the law guides what we're allowed
to do on our private lands or

1024
01:42:14,840 --> 01:42:18,480
not. That is the

1025
01:42:18,600 --> 01:42:26,639
question. The second thing I want to
bring up is at the planning commission

1026
01:42:23,800 --> 01:42:30,960
hearing there was discussion about
whether solar was a proven technology or

1027
01:42:28,880 --> 01:42:35,040
not. And I've done a lot of thinking
since then. That was back in March. uh

1028
01:42:33,440 --> 01:42:39,920
just to try to think about well how do I
explain that this isn't just something

1029
01:42:37,119 --> 01:42:44,480
that you know kind of works sometimes or
doesn't work sometimes

1030
01:42:41,960 --> 01:42:51,119
um Meckllinburgg County has been
exceedingly unlucky with the projects

1031
01:42:47,360 --> 01:42:58,320
that have been built here so far um you
have ended up with Edouls not Fords and

1032
01:42:54,320 --> 01:43:02,840
Dodges and Chevys and I know you know
better than I do all the problems that

1033
01:42:59,760 --> 01:43:09,280
have happened in those other projects.
Um, broadly in the United States, the

1034
01:43:06,400 --> 01:43:14,960
largest new energy generation is solar
energy. 50,000 megawws. Seven Bridges is

1035
01:43:13,199 --> 01:43:19,520
80 megawatts. Imagine how much solar
that is. That is the predominant

1036
01:43:17,760 --> 01:43:23,040
selection for energy that's put on the
grid because the sun shines and the

1037
01:43:21,199 --> 01:43:27,920
panels collect electrons and they put it
out to the grid and it is the cheapest

1038
01:43:25,440 --> 01:43:32,400
form of electricity you can get. Now, I
know there's this talk of subsidization.

1039
01:43:30,880 --> 01:43:35,600
as far as we're concerned, get rid of
it. But if you want to get rid of it,

1040
01:43:33,920 --> 01:43:38,199
get rid of it for oil and gas and coal,
too, because they have been getting it

1041
01:43:37,280 --> 01:43:42,320
since
1921, back when they first got their

1042
01:43:40,400 --> 01:43:47,920
research and development subsidization
and tax credits. And they still get that

1043
01:43:44,719 --> 01:43:52,400
today, as well as many more. So, if you
want to do a fair cost accounting, get

1044
01:43:50,560 --> 01:43:55,840
rid of all subsidization. We are in
support of that as a solar industry. We

1045
01:43:54,560 --> 01:44:00,320
think that that would be the right move
to do and we'd like to see that happen.

1046
01:43:58,480 --> 01:44:04,880
But given the conditions we have today
and the reality that you buy electricity

1047
01:44:02,239 --> 01:44:10,159
in a competitive market, we have fixed
power purchase agreements. If gas goes

1048
01:44:06,800 --> 01:44:13,840
up, your price goes up. Solar doesn't go
up. We have a fixed price for the 30 or

1049
01:44:12,080 --> 01:44:18,960
40 years life of the project. It is
fixed and is not going to

1050
01:44:15,800 --> 01:44:23,600
change. Second point I'd like to make is
we're enjoying the air conditioning in

1051
01:44:20,480 --> 01:44:28,560
this room today. 36% of that energy is
coming from another state. Do you want

1052
01:44:26,400 --> 01:44:33,280
to send hundreds of millions of dollars
to other states to build energy over

1053
01:44:31,360 --> 01:44:38,159
there to then keep the air conditioning
on here? Or would you rather invest that

1054
01:44:35,840 --> 01:44:42,880
money in this county to make it stronger
and have the energy that is fueling this

1055
01:44:40,400 --> 01:44:46,880
air conditioning right here coming from
Virginia and even from here

1056
01:44:44,159 --> 01:44:50,560
Meckllinburgg County. To me, it seems
like local sourcing is just so much

1057
01:44:49,520 --> 01:44:55,199
better than trying to get it from
someone else.

1058
01:44:53,440 --> 01:44:58,880
So Cliff did a really nice job talking
about and working with all the changes

1059
01:44:57,199 --> 01:45:04,639
that we've had in this project. When we
started it was 942 acres. We're half the

1060
01:45:02,080 --> 01:45:08,400
size of that right now. We have put in
screening and buffers. We've got a new

1061
01:45:06,400 --> 01:45:14,000
access road. We'll have sheep grazing.
We're maintaining a a special amount of

1062
01:45:11,920 --> 01:45:17,760
logging and agriculture forestry around
the whole project. Hunting and fishing.

1063
01:45:16,560 --> 01:45:21,760
This project's going to be really
diverse and it's going to have a lot of

1064
01:45:19,280 --> 01:45:27,119
really unique benefits to it. while
we're also building a solar plant. And

1065
01:45:24,400 --> 01:45:31,320
as you mentioned, the Maharin River, 250
acres put into an in perpetuity

1066
01:45:29,199 --> 01:45:35,440
conservation easement to protect it
forever. And that's because we've

1067
01:45:33,840 --> 01:45:41,119
listened to the community. We understand
your concerns. The Maharin River is

1068
01:45:38,320 --> 01:45:44,880
designated scenic 10 miles down river.
We're adjacent to the South Maharin

1069
01:45:42,960 --> 01:45:49,920
River. It's not designated as scenic,
but we still think it is a really

1070
01:45:47,239 --> 01:45:54,159
valuable protected resource that we want
to be really careful about. That's why

1071
01:45:51,440 --> 01:45:58,320
we have offered this 250 acre
conservation

1072
01:45:55,480 --> 01:46:02,639
easement. Cliff mentioned, you will not
see the project from the Marin River. It

1073
01:46:00,560 --> 01:46:06,719
is really well screened from the terrain
and because we're set way way back and

1074
01:46:04,800 --> 01:46:10,080
on the other side of a transmission line
at the top of the

1075
01:46:08,280 --> 01:46:14,560
hill. So when I mentioned
implementation,

1076
01:46:11,679 --> 01:46:18,719
um the key part here is we have a plan
to screen it. We developed a forestry

1077
01:46:16,880 --> 01:46:22,800
plan to make sure that the cutting that
might happen in the buffer regenerates

1078
01:46:21,040 --> 01:46:26,080
young trees that have lower branches
that maintain the screening. So that for

1079
01:46:24,480 --> 01:46:28,920
the life of the project, you're not
going to be able to see it from any of

1080
01:46:27,520 --> 01:46:33,679
those public
viewpoints. We will be decommissioning

1081
01:46:31,360 --> 01:46:37,760
the project at the end of life. And
we'll be decommissioning essentially

1082
01:46:35,440 --> 01:46:42,239
taking all the metal out of the project
and you're going to have a meadow that

1083
01:46:40,080 --> 01:46:47,119
will have had 30 years to develop an
organic horizon and healthy roots and

1084
01:46:44,800 --> 01:46:50,760
healthy soil. And it can be farmed, it
can grow trees, it can be whatever you

1085
01:46:48,960 --> 01:46:55,199
want it to
be. This just a summary of the many

1086
01:46:53,520 --> 01:47:00,880
different ways we thought about how do
we add value to this project.

1087
01:46:57,719 --> 01:47:07,360
conservation pollinators got sheep
grazing timber and we know that in those

1088
01:47:03,760 --> 01:47:11,520
other projects other people built those
they didn't use our panels that are true

1089
01:47:10,080 --> 01:47:16,320
time and test as you heard from first
solar today they don't use our trackers

1090
01:47:14,320 --> 01:47:20,719
we use the good tried and trueue tested
trackers in our systems we know that

1091
01:47:19,119 --> 01:47:25,440
when we have a project that's going to
work and in our entire portfolio of more

1092
01:47:22,480 --> 01:47:29,639
than 5,000 megawws they all work we
don't have any of the project problems

1093
01:47:26,960 --> 01:47:35,679
that you've seen in this county. Very
unfortunately over at Foxhound, we had

1094
01:47:32,880 --> 01:47:40,320
the D on site many, many times during
these many storms that we had that

1095
01:47:38,320 --> 01:47:43,920
caused a lot of a lot of water to come
down on a site. Quote, from one of their

1096
01:47:42,639 --> 01:47:48,159
reports, one of the best pollution
prevention plans I've seen in

1097
01:47:45,280 --> 01:47:51,760
construction general permit," unquote.
We are also committed to hiring a

1098
01:47:49,840 --> 01:47:55,040
third-party compliance manager who would
report to the county and be able to

1099
01:47:53,520 --> 01:47:58,119
continue to tell you here's how it's
going and if you have problems, we will

1100
01:47:57,119 --> 01:48:04,400
address
them. The last point I'll make is we we

1101
01:48:02,159 --> 01:48:09,760
are innovators at Long Road. We solve
problems. We solve hard problems. We are

1102
01:48:06,960 --> 01:48:13,040
a tenacious, resilient company that is
here to make and honor promises that

1103
01:48:11,840 --> 01:48:17,840
we're making to you. And if you don't
believe just me, you can go around to

1104
01:48:15,199 --> 01:48:22,800
our sites around the country. In Maine,
we have the largest solar site ever

1105
01:48:19,840 --> 01:48:26,520
built in the state. And the D uses our
site to do trainings not only for their

1106
01:48:24,719 --> 01:48:31,760
staff, but for other
developers. At Foxtown Solar, we're the

1107
01:48:29,040 --> 01:48:35,920
first only Pollinator Smart Certified by
Virginia project, large scale solar

1108
01:48:33,920 --> 01:48:40,719
project in the state of Virginia. And
lastly, one of my favorites, the work

1109
01:48:38,320 --> 01:48:45,280
we've been doing with wildlife and the
west has gotten the attention of

1110
01:48:42,800 --> 01:48:48,320
National Geographic. March of 2025, we
are mentioned in National Geographic for

1111
01:48:47,119 --> 01:48:54,639
the good work that we're doing with
solar and wildlife at our sites. So, I

1112
01:48:51,440 --> 01:48:58,320
ask you very respectfully to approve the
special exception permit application

1113
01:48:56,400 --> 01:49:02,440
that we have before you. And again,
thank you very much for your time.

1114
01:49:02,560 --> 01:49:12,639
Okay. Thank you. Uh we will
now open the public hearing for the

1115
01:49:08,600 --> 01:49:17,280
special exception permit.
I have 20 people signed up on this

1116
01:49:15,280 --> 01:49:20,639
sheet. Okay. There may well be other
people in the room who did not sign it

1117
01:49:19,119 --> 01:49:25,639
up.
The first speaker on this is Deborah

1118
01:49:22,639 --> 01:49:25,639
Dantis.

1119
01:49:31,040 --> 01:49:36,960
Okay. My comments are going to be about
the same.

1120
01:49:34,440 --> 01:49:43,600
Um, my name is Deborah DeSantis. I
reside at 885 Scots Crossroads. Um, I

1121
01:49:41,040 --> 01:49:48,000
just want to talk about I mean I I do
realize that they come into my home and

1122
01:49:45,760 --> 01:49:52,800
how McCay listen to my concerns and
they've made a lot of changes to what

1123
01:49:51,040 --> 01:50:00,560
their original plan was and we
appreciate that. Um, I do want to state

1124
01:49:56,960 --> 01:50:06,480
how much that I love a rural way of life
and that is why I remain in Southside

1125
01:50:03,960 --> 01:50:12,040
Virginia. Um there is too much
uncertainty about the solar in regards

1126
01:50:08,560 --> 01:50:17,520
to our waterways, wellwater, soil, and
wildlife, not to mention who or how

1127
01:50:15,440 --> 01:50:25,199
these monstrosities will be maintained
and repaired and disposed of in the

1128
01:50:20,239 --> 01:50:30,800
future. Um, I just want to ask you all,
like I said before, um, everybody that

1129
01:50:28,080 --> 01:50:34,920
votes to allow these solar farms to come
in, every single person that votes for

1130
01:50:33,360 --> 01:50:43,440
that,
yes, is rewarded financially in some way

1131
01:50:38,719 --> 01:50:49,639
or another. Um, I know that Chase City,
the town needs needs a lot need a lot of

1132
01:50:46,639 --> 01:50:56,560
money. um they're doing the best they
can, but at what cost do you sell your

1133
01:50:53,360 --> 01:51:00,480
soul to these solar companies. Um we
don't know what's going to happen 10

1134
01:50:58,719 --> 01:51:04,400
years from now after it's built. We
don't know what's going to happen 20

1135
01:51:01,760 --> 01:51:11,239
years from now. Um I was offered a good
neighbor agreement. I flat out turned it

1136
01:51:07,840 --> 01:51:16,080
down because I was not going to take any
money for me to have to sit there and

1137
01:51:13,760 --> 01:51:21,520
put up with the construction, the dust,
the noise, and whatever would happen in

1138
01:51:18,880 --> 01:51:26,320
10 to 20 or 30 years because you can't
come back in 10 years or 20 years after

1139
01:51:24,159 --> 01:51:32,239
signing this agreement and say, "But but
but you poisoned my wellwater, but but

1140
01:51:29,520 --> 01:51:37,760
but you know, you've you've completely
obliterated the wildlife in the area or

1141
01:51:34,639 --> 01:51:43,440
or whatever the the cause may be. You
can't once you sign it, that's it.

1142
01:51:39,679 --> 01:51:48,400
You've signed your soul away. You cannot
go back and say, "Well, you didn't tell

1143
01:51:46,320 --> 01:51:52,000
me, you know, or you didn't know. It
doesn't matter. It's it it's finished.

1144
01:51:50,239 --> 01:51:57,599
You you you have no recourse at that
point." So, like I said, I know Chase

1145
01:51:55,360 --> 01:52:01,360
City needs I know Meckllinburgg County
needs

1146
01:51:58,760 --> 01:52:07,679
funding. We've got to figure it out in
other ways. The majority of us here

1147
01:52:04,239 --> 01:52:14,400
today We live here in Southside Virginia
because we do not want to live in

1148
01:52:11,199 --> 01:52:20,320
Northern Virginia in the Tidewater area.
Yet those

1149
01:52:16,119 --> 01:52:24,560
areas need the electrical grid coming
from us. We need to look out for

1150
01:52:22,880 --> 01:52:31,760
ourselves.
Yes, land owners should be able to do

1151
01:52:27,920 --> 01:52:38,159
within reason what they want with their
land and their

1152
01:52:33,239 --> 01:52:42,599
property, but you all sitting here can
make a decision to say no, this is not

1153
01:52:40,239 --> 01:52:50,239
in the best interest of the
county. And I would hope that you would

1154
01:52:47,400 --> 01:52:54,800
oppose and not let any more solar come
into the county. I think we've had

1155
01:52:51,840 --> 01:52:58,960
enough. We've seen enough. Um, yeah,
they're learning from their mistakes,

1156
01:52:56,400 --> 01:53:02,480
but there's always going to be more
mistakes. The other companies, they

1157
01:53:00,719 --> 01:53:08,560
promised this and they promised that,
and they didn't fulfill those promises,

1158
01:53:05,040 --> 01:53:13,400
and now the neighbors there are having
to deal with these issues. So, I thank

1159
01:53:11,360 --> 01:53:19,320
you all for your consideration. Thank
you. The next signed up speaker is

1160
01:53:15,840 --> 01:53:25,360
Pauline Keaton, who I believe has
departed. Yeah.

1161
01:53:21,599 --> 01:53:29,639
and as did Beverly Wood. So, the next
one we have is Lori Huber.

1162
01:53:32,080 --> 01:53:38,560
Thank you for putting up with me a
second

1163
01:53:34,840 --> 01:53:44,000
time. I am disappointed that so many of
you felt like you had to vote against

1164
01:53:40,480 --> 01:53:50,480
this last vote. Um, a couple things
strike me. One is emergency services,

1165
01:53:47,280 --> 01:53:55,280
wildfires, what can come off the panels?
We actually do know what the result

1166
01:53:52,719 --> 01:54:00,560
would be. When EPA defines what a
hazardous waste is, one of the tests

1167
01:53:57,599 --> 01:54:05,679
they do is called a toxicity extraction
procedure, TCLP. They're looking at the

1168
01:54:02,560 --> 01:54:09,920
leeate that comes from something that
contains is either entirely hazardous

1169
01:54:08,239 --> 01:54:15,199
waste or contains something that would
be hazardous waste if it became a waste.

1170
01:54:12,800 --> 01:54:20,960
These panels are so large, they have so
much glass, they have so much other

1171
01:54:17,360 --> 01:54:26,159
inner material. the very very very tiny
bit of toxic materials that are in these

1172
01:54:23,199 --> 01:54:30,800
panels isn't anywhere near enough to
cause harm. You say they're very large.

1173
01:54:28,480 --> 01:54:36,080
There's lots of panels. You'd have to
take all of them, not break them in half

1174
01:54:33,440 --> 01:54:41,199
and burn them, which in fact melts metal
and glass and would seal it even more.

1175
01:54:39,040 --> 01:54:46,320
You'd have to grind it into a powder and
drink it for decades before there would

1176
01:54:43,840 --> 01:54:51,840
be enough of those toxic materials to
harm you. that's just not going to

1177
01:54:48,880 --> 01:54:58,159
happen. So, I'm I'm disappointed hearing
people bring that up again and again.

1178
01:54:54,560 --> 01:55:02,159
Also, storm water
erosion control. I'm very concerned

1179
01:55:00,320 --> 01:55:06,800
about that. I've called Mr. Hendrick and
complained about how brown the water

1180
01:55:04,560 --> 01:55:12,000
looked driving in over 58 into
Clarksville a year or two

1181
01:55:09,000 --> 01:55:16,679
back. I'm not supportive of anything
that would contribute to this. What

1182
01:55:14,400 --> 01:55:21,880
creates erosion?
farming, timber

1183
01:55:19,400 --> 01:55:26,920
removal, data center
construction, solar farm construction.

1184
01:55:25,199 --> 01:55:33,199
All of those things potentially
contribute. But we say yes to farmers.

1185
01:55:30,000 --> 01:55:38,719
We say yes to timber harvesting. We say
yes to data centers. Why is it all of a

1186
01:55:36,159 --> 01:55:42,480
sudden a problem with a solar farm? A
solar farm that's under construction for

1187
01:55:40,480 --> 01:55:48,960
a year or a year and a half and then
it's there to be what? grazed by lambs,

1188
01:55:45,920 --> 01:55:53,639
flowers, vegetables grown. That's not
cutting down trees. That's not tilling

1189
01:55:50,880 --> 01:55:58,159
land. That's not building a data
center. Everybody's under a lot of

1190
01:55:55,840 --> 01:56:03,119
pressure here to vote against this. I
get it. Some of the stories here have

1191
01:56:00,320 --> 01:56:08,719
been very heartfelt and are valid and
should be listened to, but looking at

1192
01:56:05,280 --> 01:56:12,040
what's best for everyone and what's wise
in terms of what's coming. You talk

1193
01:56:10,639 --> 01:56:18,159
about
wildfires, there's a lot coming in terms

1194
01:56:15,040 --> 01:56:24,159
of demand for electricity, scarcity of
electric sources. People talk about

1195
01:56:20,400 --> 01:56:28,920
nuclear. My god, what kind of hazard is
a potential emergency condition with a

1196
01:56:27,199 --> 01:56:35,760
nuclear power
facility? Please think this through,

1197
01:56:32,440 --> 01:56:41,280
please. Thank you.
The next uh signed name on here is Susan

1198
01:56:38,400 --> 01:56:41,280
Mullen.

1199
01:56:54,400 --> 01:56:59,280
Well, thank you for listening once
again.

1200
01:57:00,360 --> 01:57:08,920
Um, the thing about solar is, you know,
people say, "I don't want to see it."

1201
01:57:05,520 --> 01:57:14,719
Every time I pass a solar field, I
smile. I think, "Yes, this is right.

1202
01:57:12,719 --> 01:57:19,760
This is the right thing for energy
today. We need it. We have got to have

1203
01:57:17,520 --> 01:57:25,239
solar. You can build this and you can.
It's on. You got it. You get it quickly.

1204
01:57:23,040 --> 01:57:31,080
It's cheaper than any other source of
power. It is clean. It is what we ought

1205
01:57:29,440 --> 01:57:35,840
to do.
And I say, I love solar. I'm

1206
01:57:33,840 --> 01:57:40,320
environmentalist. I was on the board of
the Southern Environmental Law Center

1207
01:57:37,440 --> 01:57:45,800
for 22 years and we've done an awful lot
of work and thank God I sleep much

1208
01:57:43,679 --> 01:57:56,560
better because I know that they are out
protecting air, water and soil. We need

1209
01:57:51,920 --> 01:58:03,440
solar. Solar is it's all almost the only
answer right now. So I encourage you all

1210
01:58:00,719 --> 01:58:06,639
really, you know, you've s you know a
lot of this that we've been hearing the

1211
01:58:05,119 --> 01:58:12,480
complaints. You know they're not
accurate. You know that there's a lot of

1212
01:58:08,800 --> 01:58:17,679
false information out there. Solar is
the way to go. We need it. And I y'all

1213
01:58:16,239 --> 01:58:24,159
already know how I feel about Chase
City. So I think Chase City needs it

1214
01:58:20,719 --> 01:58:29,639
too. And so I would certainly vote ask
all of you all to vote for this project

1215
01:58:27,320 --> 01:58:35,960
because J City needs
it, the community needs

1216
01:58:32,360 --> 01:58:39,119
it, the the climate needs
it. Thank

1217
01:58:39,480 --> 01:58:44,599
you. Next name is John Mullen.

1218
01:58:52,480 --> 01:58:59,040
I'll be very brief because uh doesn't
sound like it would do much good to

1219
01:58:56,239 --> 01:59:05,760
repeat my earlier remarks. Um I think
one thing that the supervisors um should

1220
01:59:03,199 --> 01:59:12,719
think about is the planning commission
has approved this project twice. Uh

1221
01:59:09,480 --> 01:59:18,760
including after the modified long range
plan was put in place. Uh I was told a

1222
01:59:17,280 --> 01:59:22,960
year or so ago by one of the
supervisors, why would we have a

1223
01:59:20,639 --> 01:59:28,000
planning commission if we don't pay any
attention to them? They've obviously

1224
01:59:24,960 --> 01:59:33,199
done a lot of research on this. I don't
know after time we really had to think

1225
01:59:30,080 --> 01:59:39,040
this through, but uh clearly if the
planning commission thinks it's okay uh

1226
01:59:36,000 --> 01:59:43,679
and has voted for it twice, I would hope
you keep that in mind. And I do think

1227
01:59:41,119 --> 01:59:50,639
that the personal property rights issues
are very import. I mean

1228
01:59:47,480 --> 01:59:56,560
um the fact that that is in compliance
with every thing that's uh it has to be

1229
01:59:54,400 --> 02:00:00,880
in compliance with and is approved by
the planning commission I hope would

1230
01:59:59,119 --> 02:00:08,199
hold some weight with this uh
commission. Thank you.

1231
02:00:03,920 --> 02:00:08,199
The next speaker is Karen Drosiaak.

1232
02:00:19,040 --> 02:00:25,040
Thank you very much. I'm Karen Drosiaak
with First Solar. I'd like to address

1233
02:00:23,360 --> 02:00:30,239
some of the concerns about the safety of
our technology. Um the beauty about

1234
02:00:28,320 --> 02:00:34,320
having a proven technology that has been
safely operating in the field for more

1235
02:00:32,000 --> 02:00:40,080
than two decades is that it has been
extensively studied and tested. Whether

1236
02:00:37,840 --> 02:00:46,400
it's breakage, whether it's fire,
natural disasters, you name it. So let's

1237
02:00:43,760 --> 02:00:51,880
start with the with the materials. It
has a scary name, but it is very

1238
02:00:48,719 --> 02:00:58,800
different from elemental cadmium. Much
like H2O, water is different from

1239
02:00:55,440 --> 02:01:05,199
hydrogen a gas. So this matters. This
means it is extremely chemically stable

1240
02:01:01,920 --> 02:01:11,599
and thermally is thermally stable. So,
in the event of a fire, worst case,

1241
02:01:08,159 --> 02:01:15,119
assuming all the CAD tell were to be
emitted from the from the panels, which

1242
02:01:13,440 --> 02:01:22,480
is highly unlikely, and I'll explain why
in a second, assuming that worst case is

1243
02:01:19,199 --> 02:01:27,840
a 100,000 times less than routine
cadmium emissions from coal and oil

1244
02:01:24,719 --> 02:01:32,880
power plants. So, why is this worst case
scenario unlikely? Because cadmium

1245
02:01:30,080 --> 02:01:39,199
teleride has an extremely high melting
point and boiling point 2,000 degrees

1246
02:01:35,639 --> 02:01:44,800
Celsius or two sorry Fahrenheit. Um
that's well above your typical grassfire

1247
02:01:42,360 --> 02:01:50,119
temperatures. What happens is the glass
melts around and encapsulates the

1248
02:01:47,599 --> 02:01:56,639
material
99.96% of it. This is why it is safe in

1249
02:01:54,239 --> 02:02:01,440
the event of a fire. It is safe in the
event of breakage because there are no

1250
02:01:58,080 --> 02:02:07,840
liquids or vapors that can leak out and
it has been proven for more than two

1251
02:02:04,400 --> 02:02:12,360
decades and there have been not a single
reported instance of concern of

1252
02:02:11,040 --> 02:02:17,520
environmental
contamination in the field over these

1253
02:02:15,280 --> 02:02:24,000
two decades it has been deployed across
more than 45 countries around the world.

1254
02:02:20,320 --> 02:02:30,520
60,000 megawws have been deployed. Thank
you. Thank you. The next speaker is Joel

1255
02:02:27,520 --> 02:02:30,520
Cathy.

1256
02:02:40,560 --> 02:02:47,960
Hello, I'm Joel Kathy again. I
appreciate y'all allowing me to speak.

1257
02:02:44,520 --> 02:02:52,880
Um, I just want to reiterate
um private property rights. Um, this is

1258
02:02:51,199 --> 02:02:57,520
a practice the state of Virginia is
mandated to Dominion Power that certain

1259
02:02:55,520 --> 02:03:03,560
amount of their electricity is going to
come from renewables. So, it's a state

1260
02:03:00,639 --> 02:03:09,199
instigated process. Um, it's a legal
process. It's been proved that it's not

1261
02:03:06,040 --> 02:03:12,560
harmful and land owners ought to be
allowed to make decisions on their own

1262
02:03:10,960 --> 02:03:19,480
property. I mean, that's what this
country was built on. Thank you,

1263
02:03:16,080 --> 02:03:19,480
Matt KS.

1264
02:03:21,760 --> 02:03:30,560
Supervisors. Uh Matt Karns, I head up
development for Long Road. Um I

1265
02:03:27,599 --> 02:03:38,000
understand that you're in a difficult
spot here hearing all kinds of um

1266
02:03:33,920 --> 02:03:41,280
theories and ideas about solar. Um I
think what we can say though is with the

1267
02:03:39,840 --> 02:03:47,239
recommendation from the planning
commission those are specific standards

1268
02:03:44,239 --> 02:03:52,880
that this project after 8
years multiple changes that were made to

1269
02:03:50,719 --> 02:03:57,440
accommodate specific concerns they
agreed with the recommendation to move

1270
02:03:55,199 --> 02:04:02,400
forward with approval. So it wasn't a it
wasn't a project that was just kind of

1271
02:04:00,000 --> 02:04:07,040
jammed into a permit application. This
project has been tailored to meet the

1272
02:04:04,639 --> 02:04:11,760
needs of and and with the input of
people who live here. Um I take the

1273
02:04:09,760 --> 02:04:16,400
supervisor's point about about fire
issues and I really appreciate that

1274
02:04:13,360 --> 02:04:20,880
question. We work in every major uh
market across the United States. We work

1275
02:04:18,480 --> 02:04:25,360
very closely with fire departments and
do uh coordinated response and

1276
02:04:22,880 --> 02:04:32,239
education. So that is an area that we
would be very quick to coordinate on. Um

1277
02:04:29,360 --> 02:04:38,960
I think also just you don't have to make
the decision based on uh guessing or

1278
02:04:35,199 --> 02:04:43,280
supposition or rumor or internet theory.
There are standards that apply. There

1279
02:04:41,440 --> 02:04:49,520
are standards that the public the
planning commission applied. Specific

1280
02:04:45,880 --> 02:04:54,320
standards, state, local and federal
rules all apply here. We will not be

1281
02:04:52,159 --> 02:05:00,800
impacting wetlands above a particular
point. We are not allowed to. we have

1282
02:04:56,719 --> 02:05:05,360
these uh areas are carefully engineered
with respect to flood water and with

1283
02:05:02,719 --> 02:05:11,520
storm water. They are better engineered
than many many other land uses that we

1284
02:05:07,360 --> 02:05:15,360
see. Um so I think what I would ask is
that you make the decision based on the

1285
02:05:14,080 --> 02:05:20,239
recommendation from the planning
commission. You can defer to their

1286
02:05:17,440 --> 02:05:23,840
expertise. You can defer to the federal
government in certain cases with respect

1287
02:05:22,080 --> 02:05:29,360
to what navigable waters of the United
States. These standards are in place for

1288
02:05:25,920 --> 02:05:33,119
a reason. And Virginia now has a lot of
experience with solar and a lot of that

1289
02:05:31,360 --> 02:05:38,400
has been folded back into the Department
of Environmental Quality process, the

1290
02:05:35,280 --> 02:05:44,880
the PBR process. And so all those
lessons learned are now baked in. So we

1291
02:05:41,760 --> 02:05:49,599
can be the capstone. We can be the
premier solar project and be proud of it

1292
02:05:48,080 --> 02:05:55,119
because we've been working on it for
eight years with you, with the

1293
02:05:51,800 --> 02:05:58,639
neighbors, with a variety of folks who
have weighed in, have come to us and

1294
02:05:56,880 --> 02:06:03,599
said, "Let's make this the best solar
project in the Commonwealth." We can do

1295
02:06:01,199 --> 02:06:08,960
that. And I would ask you to approve the
SCP. we can move forward separately on a

1296
02:06:07,360 --> 02:06:14,000
separate discussion about the sighting
act or the sighting agreement. Um but I

1297
02:06:12,239 --> 02:06:17,920
truly appreciate the opportunity to
invest in this county. We have been

1298
02:06:16,239 --> 02:06:26,599
trying to do it for eight years. We
would love to um meet you at the ribbon

1299
02:06:20,560 --> 02:06:26,599
cutting. So thank you. Thank you Tom.

1300
02:06:32,800 --> 02:06:38,800
Thank you. I'll just take a quick minute
since I already spoke for three minutes

1301
02:06:36,239 --> 02:06:43,440
before. Um the Evergreen team, again,
I'm with the Evergreen team. We believe

1302
02:06:40,800 --> 02:06:49,520
in conservation. Our motto is keeping
the country country. Um we believe that

1303
02:06:46,960 --> 02:06:56,000
really the the only way that you can
really lose the country and the rural

1304
02:06:52,159 --> 02:07:01,199
the rural um um culture of your county
is through subdivisions. So that's why

1305
02:06:58,960 --> 02:07:09,119
we are looking at at trying to work any
way we can to save land in perpetuity.

1306
02:07:04,920 --> 02:07:12,800
Um so we always say that that a any land
eventually whether you're talking about

1307
02:07:10,880 --> 02:07:18,239
you know 10 years or 100 years or a
thousand years will always go towards

1308
02:07:15,599 --> 02:07:27,440
subdivision because of the four Ds and
one of them is divorce uh debt death and

1309
02:07:24,000 --> 02:07:32,079
excuse me dumbass decisions. Um so we
are are always working hard to work in

1310
02:07:29,920 --> 02:07:38,320
to save land in perpetuity which this
pro project would do. Um also I heard a

1311
02:07:35,360 --> 02:07:43,040
number of um you know great great points
on both sides. I would say that several

1312
02:07:40,800 --> 02:07:48,000
people that are against it are talking
about um people that are associated with

1313
02:07:45,679 --> 02:07:51,840
a project are is because of money. And
we would I would say that the Evergreen

1314
02:07:50,239 --> 02:07:57,920
Team, which is an environmental
nonprofit, we believe in a triple bot

1315
02:07:54,320 --> 02:08:03,199
bottom line, which is people, planet,
and economy. You got to have all three

1316
02:08:00,480 --> 02:08:07,520
of those to save the environment. I've
been I'm an environmental engineer. I've

1317
02:08:05,199 --> 02:08:12,159
dealt with contamination my whole my
whole life. I've traveled to third world

1318
02:08:09,840 --> 02:08:18,400
nations and when you don't have a strong
economy, the environment goes downhill.

1319
02:08:14,960 --> 02:08:24,239
We work um extensively with land owners
up and down Virginia and Pennsylvania

1320
02:08:20,800 --> 02:08:31,239
and in areas where that is hurting
economy. The environment looks terrible.

1321
02:08:27,040 --> 02:08:36,960
Trash, uh water pollution, surface water
contamination. Um economy is a good

1322
02:08:34,000 --> 02:08:39,719
thing. It helps people and it helps the
environment.

1323
02:08:38,400 --> 02:08:43,840
Thank
you. Next speaker is Matt

1324
02:08:50,119 --> 02:08:56,079
English. I'm going to make it brief.
Rain's

1325
02:08:53,480 --> 02:09:00,440
coming. Daylight's getting short and I
don't know where y'all going to

1326
02:08:57,480 --> 02:09:04,800
vote. But, you know,
think of all these businesses that y'all

1327
02:09:03,119 --> 02:09:11,199
have approved here in the last few
years. How many is going to support a

1328
02:09:09,079 --> 02:09:15,760
farmer? How many is going to support
wounded

1329
02:09:13,480 --> 02:09:17,760
warriors? Did the data center down here?
Did they say we're going to take a

1330
02:09:16,800 --> 02:09:19,960
couple hundred acres and we're going to
let wounded warriors come in here and

1331
02:09:19,040 --> 02:09:24,400
hunt and
fish? Did some of these other businesses

1332
02:09:22,560 --> 02:09:30,239
say, "Hey, we're going to get as many
farmers in the Southside area to to come

1333
02:09:26,800 --> 02:09:34,400
together and farm on us. We're not going
to use mowers and bush hogs and

1334
02:09:32,800 --> 02:09:37,880
chemicals.
We're going to let local farmers come

1335
02:09:36,480 --> 02:09:42,760
and use our
land and if they need anything, we'll

1336
02:09:40,800 --> 02:09:48,400
take care of them because we support
them. Just keep that in mind. Lastly,

1337
02:09:46,320 --> 02:09:51,040
I'd like to end with this. Several
people on both sides aisle, forward or

1338
02:09:50,000 --> 02:09:54,000
against it, come to me and they said,
"Matt," they said, "How come you ain't

1339
02:09:52,560 --> 02:09:57,040
farming up here?" He said, "You know,
it's one right up your road. It's one

1340
02:09:55,760 --> 02:10:01,840
back over here in this community. You
know, that's halfway to you." And well,

1341
02:09:59,920 --> 02:10:04,880
you know, happy Mother's Day, ladies.
Anyway, my mama always said, "If it's

1342
02:10:03,679 --> 02:10:08,679
not something nice to say about
somebody, don't say nothing about them

1343
02:10:06,320 --> 02:10:13,639
at all."
And that's all I'm going to say about

1344
02:10:10,880 --> 02:10:19,119
those other companies. They're just like
plumbers, policemen,

1345
02:10:16,440 --> 02:10:24,079
politicians, you name it. And where it's
good ones and it's bad ones. Why do you

1346
02:10:21,440 --> 02:10:28,560
think I jumped over those sites to try
to come on this

1347
02:10:26,280 --> 02:10:33,280
site? These are the most proactive
people I've ever dealt with.

1348
02:10:31,599 --> 02:10:36,079
And I've gone back to the companies I
work with and I've told them some of the

1349
02:10:34,719 --> 02:10:41,440
things that anyway this company's trying
to do and I'm like, "Hey, you know, we

1350
02:10:38,079 --> 02:10:46,360
need to wake up." So that's all I'm
going to say. Thank y'all and thank you

1351
02:10:42,960 --> 02:10:46,360
for the time,

1352
02:10:46,880 --> 02:10:49,360
Brenda

1353
02:10:51,000 --> 02:10:55,280
Walker. Okay. Charles

1354
02:10:57,239 --> 02:11:01,639
Jackson, Glenn Bernie.

1355
02:11:12,719 --> 02:11:20,480
Good morning. Good morning. Bernie, 449
Fairy Hill Trail,

1356
02:11:18,199 --> 02:11:26,320
Clark. I'm a member of the Clarksville
Riverton Club.

1357
02:11:22,320 --> 02:11:31,199
One of our projects we have is uh rent
and utility bill

1358
02:11:28,199 --> 02:11:36,480
assistance which we spend about $30,000
a year on that

1359
02:11:32,679 --> 02:11:44,119
program. It benefits the needy people in
the Clarksville area only right now.

1360
02:11:39,440 --> 02:11:50,440
Long Road Energy has pledged to donate
$150,000 to our club to be used for

1361
02:11:48,000 --> 02:11:57,199
electricity bill
systems. And we would take that money

1362
02:11:54,119 --> 02:12:02,280
and use it over a 10-year period to
supplement what we already do. and it

1363
02:12:00,079 --> 02:12:08,320
would help us be able to expand
our electric bill assistance program

1364
02:12:05,040 --> 02:12:13,119
from Clarks area only to residents of
the entire

1365
02:12:09,560 --> 02:12:17,000
county. So just a benefit from Long Road
for

1366
02:12:14,119 --> 02:12:22,079
our county and some of the most needy
people. So I ask in conclusion that you

1367
02:12:20,159 --> 02:12:25,079
take that into account in the final
vote.

1368
02:12:26,639 --> 02:12:29,199
Monty High

1369
02:12:31,639 --> 02:12:43,400
Tower. Ladies and gentlemen, the B. Oh,
Monty High Tile, 247 Autumn Lane, Chase

1370
02:12:39,400 --> 02:12:43,400
City. And

1371
02:12:43,639 --> 02:12:51,520
um for some of y'all don't uh know me,
my my family has been in Mechanburg

1372
02:12:48,320 --> 02:12:59,639
County since at least 1750. It's for
Mechmber County, Looney County. So, uh,

1373
02:12:55,760 --> 02:13:06,880
I'm not somebody just came here.
Uh, 90% of the farmers that were here 40

1374
02:13:04,159 --> 02:13:14,520
years ago are not here. Now, farming is
just as much an industry as any other

1375
02:13:10,079 --> 02:13:14,520
big uh, factory.

1376
02:13:15,480 --> 02:13:24,639
uh
monocropping thousands and thousands of

1377
02:13:19,760 --> 02:13:27,800
acres of soybeans which have no value to
the pollinators.

1378
02:13:27,920 --> 02:13:31,880
All the soybeans are

1379
02:13:32,000 --> 02:13:37,520
uh wind
pollinated. The

1380
02:13:37,880 --> 02:13:46,440
uh pollinator habitat that the solar
farms could be putting up be used by

1381
02:13:45,119 --> 02:13:52,400
bees,
bugs,

1382
02:13:48,679 --> 02:13:57,840
insects. Uh the pine trees they cutting
down had very little pollinator value.

1383
02:13:55,119 --> 02:14:02,400
Pollinators are are the foundation of
our whole ecosystem. In fact, the

1384
02:14:00,159 --> 02:14:09,719
pollinators
uh the birds eat the bugs to feed the

1385
02:14:06,000 --> 02:14:17,199
baby birds. Uh it just starts and builds
up.

1386
02:14:12,599 --> 02:14:23,520
So the saying that the cell phones are
bad for nature is not. I'm a certified

1387
02:14:20,960 --> 02:14:28,400
Virginia master naturalist. I have never
heard any

1388
02:14:25,800 --> 02:14:35,520
complaints through the master naturalist
against solar farms and Virginia master

1389
02:14:32,159 --> 02:14:35,520
naturalist or citizen

1390
02:14:35,880 --> 02:14:42,560
scientist. People say solar doesn't
work. Well, if it doesn't work, ask

1391
02:14:40,960 --> 02:14:46,679
eight people living on the International
Space Station how they live. All that

1392
02:14:45,040 --> 02:14:52,159
power comes from
solar.

1393
02:14:48,520 --> 02:14:56,880
Um, and for everybody complaining about
the solar farms, how would you like if

1394
02:14:54,960 --> 02:14:59,760
if your neighbor comes in and tells you,
"I don't like the color of your house."

1395
02:14:58,159 --> 02:15:04,880
You got to paint your house. I don't
like the flowers you you planted. You

1396
02:15:01,840 --> 02:15:10,800
got to cut your flowers down. Uh, I
don't like that tree you

1397
02:15:07,159 --> 02:15:16,880
planted. Remember,
uh, everything goes in a circle. So if

1398
02:15:13,760 --> 02:15:20,440
every if one person can't do something
then why can somebody else not have the

1399
02:15:19,440 --> 02:15:27,280
same
complaint and thank

1400
02:15:23,320 --> 02:15:27,280
you next speaker is Woody

1401
02:15:31,480 --> 02:15:41,199
Moore greetings to the board chairman
Woody Moore 5189 Country Club Drive City

1402
02:15:39,440 --> 02:15:48,320
uh you've already heard me say what I
said earlier on it Um much of what I

1403
02:15:45,360 --> 02:15:53,159
have seen and done the bigger issue is
one more time and it was just stated

1404
02:15:50,760 --> 02:15:58,960
again. Yes, solar
works. How well it works is a different

1405
02:15:55,679 --> 02:16:01,920
ball game and uh somebody's home and
individual home or things like that that

1406
02:16:00,320 --> 02:16:04,800
they can put it up and usually get by
with it. Although I've heard a lot of

1407
02:16:03,199 --> 02:16:08,480
mess about that that it's not working or
people are having problems with the

1408
02:16:05,920 --> 02:16:12,880
companies put it in. But it's my
understanding I this is just what I've

1409
02:16:10,880 --> 02:16:16,400
been told by the what's been handed down
from the data centers and some others

1410
02:16:14,719 --> 02:16:22,400
around here that what's already here
wouldn't fund wouldn't fuel power for a

1411
02:16:20,159 --> 02:16:27,280
third of the the data centers that's
already here much less what's coming

1412
02:16:24,560 --> 02:16:32,399
which that's a whole another issue and
so what it sounds like to me is

1413
02:16:30,560 --> 02:16:36,240
um I understand they've done a great job
of wanting to come in and and set it up

1414
02:16:34,559 --> 02:16:41,519
environmentally better and all this
stuff that nobody else has been able to

1415
02:16:37,719 --> 02:16:44,559
do which is weird. Uh over and above
that if it what it sounds like in order

1416
02:16:43,200 --> 02:16:48,800
to have the power that's going to be
necessary and the power that is claimed

1417
02:16:46,240 --> 02:16:52,319
that they produce everybody's land
around here will be covered in so solar

1418
02:16:50,559 --> 02:16:56,319
panels. It's not going to happen just a
little bit like what we've seen. This is

1419
02:16:53,840 --> 02:17:01,519
going to expand and expand and expand in
order to meet the need of power that is

1420
02:16:58,880 --> 02:17:06,880
out there. It is not efficient. I'm
sorry. It's just not. Um and and again I

1421
02:17:05,040 --> 02:17:10,319
I've been with the guys up in Buckingham
looked at the p what the power is

1422
02:17:08,479 --> 02:17:13,679
producing out of the ones that's up up
off of Cumberland line of Cumberland

1423
02:17:12,080 --> 02:17:16,639
where you can see on the grid what's
coming out of these others that are in

1424
02:17:14,880 --> 02:17:22,240
Chase City that are working the
percentage is not there. It's not even

1425
02:17:19,040 --> 02:17:27,599
50% fe people and most of the time it's
even under

1426
02:17:23,960 --> 02:17:32,399
20. It just does not commute compute to
me. I I don't I don't understand it. Uh,

1427
02:17:30,160 --> 02:17:36,960
I was all for it years ago. Until I see
what it actually produces, it's a

1428
02:17:34,000 --> 02:17:43,439
different ball game. At any rate, again,
I'm against it and and um just take that

1429
02:17:39,840 --> 02:17:47,960
into consideration. Thank you.
The next sign up is Brandon Estes.

1430
02:17:49,120 --> 02:17:52,880
Okay. Uh Melanie

1431
02:17:54,040 --> 02:18:01,120
Woods. Paul
Brer. Oh, Jean Gohagen.

1432
02:18:06,399 --> 02:18:15,280
Genie gohagen. Hello again. Um, I'm not
going to get into any big discussion,

1433
02:18:12,000 --> 02:18:20,719
but I do want to mention a statistic I
saw the other day. Five lakes in

1434
02:18:18,319 --> 02:18:28,200
Virginia, including Bugs Island, Kur
Lake. Kur Lake is the most polluted from

1435
02:18:24,040 --> 02:18:28,200
agriculture. Thank you.

1436
02:18:28,399 --> 02:18:35,359
That's everyone who's signed up. I don't
know if there's anybody else. Okay. Uh

1437
02:18:32,960 --> 02:18:41,639
any anyone else wishing to speak uh
during this public public hearing for

1438
02:18:37,679 --> 02:18:44,639
this special exception
permit?

1439
02:18:53,639 --> 02:19:04,800
Okay. Lisa Davis Bishop again. 1645
Scotch Crossroads. U I remain against

1440
02:19:00,719 --> 02:19:09,599
the project. Um I one more point that I
I wanted perhaps I didn't come across

1441
02:19:07,760 --> 02:19:15,679
well with before. I'd like to point out
that solar panels

1442
02:19:12,439 --> 02:19:20,519
um shed water like a roof. Think about
it. All that water is going to go off of

1443
02:19:18,719 --> 02:19:27,040
that. It's going to be
channeled unnaturally into a place it

1444
02:19:24,080 --> 02:19:31,160
was not designed to go into and that
will cause erosion that will leech down

1445
02:19:29,519 --> 02:19:38,319
into the
soil and it's going to cause issues.

1446
02:19:35,479 --> 02:19:45,519
Um, please put yourself in my shoes
again. Please save our home from

1447
02:19:41,880 --> 02:19:54,840
this. Thank you for your consideration.
Thank you. Anyone else wishing to

1448
02:19:49,640 --> 02:19:54,840
speak before we cliff?

1449
02:19:59,760 --> 02:20:08,319
Thank you, Chairman Jennings, members of
the board. Um, I just wanted to come up

1450
02:20:05,680 --> 02:20:16,640
and and say a few words. I mean, I know
become a familiar face over the years.

1451
02:20:12,640 --> 02:20:22,160
Uh and the
um the thing that we've been actively

1452
02:20:19,439 --> 02:20:26,319
doing is addressing tough questions
throughout the development of this

1453
02:20:23,920 --> 02:20:32,000
project. You know, we've addressed tough
questions on related to the South

1454
02:20:28,640 --> 02:20:37,520
Maharan River and we've addressed uh
tough questions related to

1455
02:20:34,359 --> 02:20:45,680
visibility and that's something that
we've proven to be good at and

1456
02:20:41,040 --> 02:20:49,920
uh would look to continue to do here in
Meckllinburgg County.

1457
02:20:47,920 --> 02:20:54,720
I've listened closely to all the
speakers today for and against and you

1458
02:20:52,319 --> 02:21:02,640
know we've submitted a substantial
amount of information to the county and

1459
02:20:58,160 --> 02:21:06,800
while there's been uh certainly concerns
mentioned

1460
02:21:03,640 --> 02:21:10,880
today between the various things we've
done to address concerns like related to

1461
02:21:08,880 --> 02:21:14,760
Scott's crossroads and the the questions
about good neighbor agreements. We've

1462
02:21:12,319 --> 02:21:18,640
submitted a signed sworn affidavit
clarifying that we're not pursuing good

1463
02:21:17,120 --> 02:21:28,160
neighbor agreements and haven't since
early 2024 related to uh the visibility

1464
02:21:24,240 --> 02:21:33,120
and um from public roads, you know,
Scott's crossroads from every different

1465
02:21:30,720 --> 02:21:36,560
direction short of as Mr. Mullen said,
if you're flying in an airplane or a

1466
02:21:34,960 --> 02:21:40,160
helicopter, then you'd be able to see
the project. You've seen simulations.

1467
02:21:38,800 --> 02:21:46,000
Some of you have been out to the site
and seen it firsthand. the drive that

1468
02:21:42,080 --> 02:21:50,080
you need to take back to the uh back
through the woods to get to the site.

1469
02:21:48,080 --> 02:21:55,680
Um, some of you spent time on farm
fields next to the site and we've worked

1470
02:21:53,359 --> 02:22:01,920
hard to uh address concerns that have
come up in this community and I believe

1471
02:21:58,560 --> 02:22:05,680
we've done a a uh sort of a great job of
that and I appreciate the time that

1472
02:22:03,359 --> 02:22:11,359
you've spent uh listening to me over the
months and I would ask that you take

1473
02:22:07,439 --> 02:22:17,280
into account in your vote today the uh
three pages of of signatures in support

1474
02:22:14,800 --> 02:22:21,920
that were submitted earlier. Um, I would
estimate that's probably 50s something

1475
02:22:19,200 --> 02:22:27,359
signatures in support. Those came from
Chase City, Scott's Crossroads, the

1476
02:22:24,399 --> 02:22:33,520
areas right around the project. And that
should be a meaningful consideration in

1477
02:22:30,399 --> 02:22:39,200
your vote. And so I appreciate your time
today and we'll ask that you take that

1478
02:22:35,840 --> 02:22:43,040
into consideration uh with your vote on
this on the Seven Bridges Solar Project.

1479
02:22:41,120 --> 02:22:48,560
Thank you.
Thank

1480
02:22:44,920 --> 02:22:48,560
you. Anyone

1481
02:22:49,880 --> 02:22:59,640
else hearing? No one. Seeing no one, I
will now close the public

1482
02:22:56,040 --> 02:23:05,479
hearing on the special exemption permit
for seven bridges solo.

1483
02:23:03,280 --> 02:23:12,160
After conducting a
duly advertised public hearing, I make

1484
02:23:09,200 --> 02:23:16,319
the motion, it is hereby resolved by the
Meckllinburgg County Board of

1485
02:23:14,040 --> 02:23:21,359
Supervisors that after considering the
staff reports prepared by the zoning

1486
02:23:19,080 --> 02:23:25,359
administrator and after considering
comments made in the public hearing and

1487
02:23:23,280 --> 02:23:30,479
after considering other matters deemed
revolent by the board, the special

1488
02:23:28,080 --> 02:23:35,800
exemption permit application submitted
on September the 10th, 202 24 by seven

1489
02:23:33,920 --> 02:23:43,520
Bridges Solar
LLC for the proposed 80 megawatt Seven

1490
02:23:40,240 --> 02:23:50,000
Bridges Solar facility is hereby denied
for the following reasons, each of which

1491
02:23:46,240 --> 02:23:53,560
was set forth in the staff report.
The site will be

1492
02:23:51,560 --> 02:24:00,720
utilizing
1,249 acres of prime farmland of

1493
02:23:56,800 --> 02:24:07,600
statewide importance to develop a 435
acre solar facility. A small portion of

1494
02:24:04,160 --> 02:24:13,040
the land scores class three or class 4
on the Virginia

1495
02:24:09,479 --> 02:24:17,359
conservation vision agricultural model.
The property has moderate, high, very

1496
02:24:15,600 --> 02:24:21,760
high, and outstanding forest
conservation values on the Virginia

1497
02:24:19,680 --> 02:24:27,840
conservation vision forestry
conservation values model. A number of

1498
02:24:25,280 --> 02:24:34,200
proposed panels on the submitted concept
plan are situated in areas designated as

1499
02:24:32,640 --> 02:24:39,439
very high or
outstanding. The property registers as

1500
02:24:36,880 --> 02:24:44,160
having high ecological cores on the
Virginia natural landscape

1501
02:24:41,800 --> 02:24:51,120
assessment. Portions of the property are
on the Virginia natural land network.

1502
02:24:48,560 --> 02:24:56,720
The applicant provided a construction
route that all loaded commercial

1503
02:24:53,840 --> 02:25:02,439
vehicles would use Highway 49
construction entrance and other

1504
02:24:58,880 --> 02:25:08,560
construction traffic would use Highway
633 Scots Crossroads to include unloaded

1505
02:25:06,160 --> 02:25:13,520
commercial vehicles. However, the
applicant has not provided a total

1506
02:25:10,640 --> 02:25:18,240
vehicle count that would be utilizing
the construction routes.

1507
02:25:16,240 --> 02:25:23,840
The project is being developed within
the proximity of South Mahar River which

1508
02:25:21,040 --> 02:25:29,760
flows into the Maharin River. These
waterways could be affected if any

1509
02:25:26,720 --> 02:25:33,840
contamination were to leave the site.
Additionally, the Maharan River has been

1510
02:25:31,840 --> 02:25:39,600
designated by the Virginia General
Assembly as the state scenic river

1511
02:25:36,960 --> 02:25:39,600
section

1512
02:25:39,880 --> 02:25:47,600
10.1-418.3 of the code of Virginia. As
the Virginia Department of Conservation

1513
02:25:45,200 --> 02:25:52,880
and Natural Resources noted, a good
portion of this land is tumble land and

1514
02:25:49,840 --> 02:25:58,319
has ample forest buff buffers which
provide a sense of isolation and

1515
02:25:56,160 --> 02:26:04,240
remoteness. And the Maharin River
corridor contains few signs of housing

1516
02:26:02,000 --> 02:26:09,600
or industrial development. Several
houses and cabins may be seen along the

1517
02:26:06,640 --> 02:26:15,840
route, but they are few and far between
and often veiled by foliage. The

1518
02:26:13,040 --> 02:26:22,000
sighting of these structures well away
from flood zones, high on the banks and

1519
02:26:18,880 --> 02:26:27,040
behind vegetative buffers does not
significantly compromise the sense of

1520
02:26:24,240 --> 02:26:33,439
isolation on the water or the aesthetic
quality of the court. An industrial

1521
02:26:30,080 --> 02:26:41,160
development would be contrary to these
statements. A yes vote for this motion

1522
02:26:37,359 --> 02:26:46,439
would be to deny the special exemption
permit. Any discussion from board

1523
02:26:43,439 --> 02:26:46,439
members?

1524
02:26:46,800 --> 02:26:53,359
Only thing I would say, Mr. Jenn, is
without the sign or approved sighting

1525
02:26:52,000 --> 02:26:58,680
agreement, it would be fiscally
irresponsible to approve this. I agree.

1526
02:27:00,080 --> 02:27:08,319
Jenny, you want to make a roll call
vote?

1527
02:27:03,200 --> 02:27:17,600
Mr. Yes. Mr. Grabbit. Yes. Mr. Spence.
Yes. Mr. Harbrook. Yes. Mr. Wilkinson.

1528
02:27:12,000 --> 02:27:23,640
Yes. M. Blackwell. No. Mrs. Lundy. Yes.
Mr. Tanner. Yes. Mr. Jennings. Yes.

1529
02:27:24,600 --> 02:27:31,680
Okay. I will welcome everybody to stay
for our rest of our meeting. Anybody

1530
02:27:29,760 --> 02:27:35,399
that wishes to leave, I'll give you a
couple of minutes to go.

1531
02:27:37,560 --> 02:27:46,479
Y'all want to take five minutes?
Russell, what? Russell. Hey, Russell.

1532
02:27:45,280 --> 02:27:51,240
I'm try to get in front of We're going
to take a fivem minute break. Wish you

1533
02:27:48,240 --> 02:27:51,240
would.

1534
02:35:23,920 --> 02:35:30,640
Where we going? Kevin, I think you up
next. We We didn't got to the easy part

1535
02:35:28,720 --> 02:35:33,479
here now.
Kevin said next time. Move him to the

1536
02:35:32,319 --> 02:35:37,800
front.
Mr. Excuse me.

1537
02:35:38,000 --> 02:35:47,840
Yeah, you had one. Robert has one one
more item to update you on.

1538
02:35:44,399 --> 02:35:53,520
I have one update for the board. Um, oh,
the planning commission held a comp plan

1539
02:35:50,240 --> 02:36:00,880
review for analyst row, which is RWE on
that 2232. Mhm. The planning commission

1540
02:35:56,960 --> 02:36:05,280
benied the application. So on May 5th,
they filed an appeal to the board of

1541
02:36:03,000 --> 02:36:13,120
supervisors. So you all would need to
make a decision on um when y'all want to

1542
02:36:08,520 --> 02:36:18,080
hold the hearing date, public hearing.
I think they have to do it within 60

1543
02:36:14,960 --> 02:36:24,640
days. Yeah. July.
Yeah. You can do it in in June or July.

1544
02:36:21,760 --> 02:36:30,800
Either one. Is it 60 days from their
appeal? Yes. In which case we can't do

1545
02:36:27,920 --> 02:36:41,240
July. Oh, the dates too. Yeah. We meet
on second Monday. 60 days would be July.

1546
02:36:35,040 --> 02:36:41,240
So, we can't do it June. Be June. Okay.

1547
02:36:44,880 --> 02:36:50,200
That's all I have. Okay. Thank you. All
right. Kevin,

1548
02:36:50,720 --> 02:36:54,200
July meeting.

1549
02:36:58,800 --> 02:37:07,280
Do I need to go first? I do. Yeah. The
first thing I wanted would be Kirk's

1550
02:37:04,479 --> 02:37:11,760
report from this morning.
All right. Kirk. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

1551
02:37:09,920 --> 02:37:15,840
The secondary roads committee met on
Monday, May 12th, 2025 at 8 a.m. in the

1552
02:37:14,080 --> 02:37:19,600
board of supervisors meeting room for
Virginia. Members present Kirk Rav,

1553
02:37:17,840 --> 02:37:24,240
chairman Sterling Wilson, David
Franklin, Andy Harwood. Others present,

1554
02:37:22,080 --> 02:37:28,760
Jim Jennings, Dennis Spence, Tom Tanner,
Alex Scott, county administrator. Judy

1555
02:37:26,640 --> 02:37:33,160
Smith, Sheffield, assistant county
administrator. Jenny Wimmore, clerk,

1556
02:37:31,040 --> 02:37:37,439
Kevin Smith, VOT, assistant resident,
engineer. Chairman Gravit called the

1557
02:37:35,359 --> 02:37:42,240
meeting to order. Mr. Gotchalk stated at
the last board of supervisors meeting

1558
02:37:39,120 --> 02:37:46,640
held on April 14th. The board voted
unanimously to advertise a public

1559
02:37:44,640 --> 02:37:51,520
hearing to consider adding Fineywood
Road, Hilltop Road, the Grand Road,

1560
02:37:49,600 --> 02:37:58,160
Wheatland Road, and Turkey Road to the
six-year plan. The public hearing was

1561
02:37:54,520 --> 02:38:06,479
open. Greenwood Road residents JA
Jordan, Matt Clark, Carolyn Evans, Hbert

1562
02:38:02,840 --> 02:38:10,640
Overton, and Margaret Smith.
addressed the committee asking for

1563
02:38:08,479 --> 02:38:15,600
Greenwood Road to be placed on the
six-year plan. They explained that the

1564
02:38:12,800 --> 02:38:21,040
road count was redone in 2023 and that
the board was not notified by VOTE that

1565
02:38:18,640 --> 02:38:24,800
their count went from 40 to 70 due to
new growth and development. The

1566
02:38:22,880 --> 02:38:29,600
residents complained about dust erosion
and boardwash. The public hearing was

1567
02:38:26,960 --> 02:38:35,760
closed. The committee discussed adding a
revenue sharing project for 2029 to the

1568
02:38:32,479 --> 02:38:40,240
advert to the advertised six-year plan.
Upon motion of Mr. Hargrove, the

1569
02:38:37,840 --> 02:38:47,439
committee voted unanimously to add
Greenwood Road to the V. FY 2026 through

1570
02:38:44,160 --> 02:38:54,160
30 2031 six-year plan that was
previously advertised as a revenue

1571
02:38:50,240 --> 02:38:59,800
sharing project. And Mr. Mr Chairman, I
believe we may need to stop here and

1572
02:38:56,000 --> 02:39:05,280
have a public hearing about amending.
Okay. So, I will declare a public

1573
02:39:03,040 --> 02:39:11,160
hearing open for the six-year plan.
Anyone wishing to speak?

1574
02:39:08,160 --> 02:39:11,160
Sure.

1575
02:39:13,359 --> 02:39:20,479
Everybody else left.
It's your chance.

1576
02:39:18,160 --> 02:39:26,080
I I I just scanning the crowd. I don't
see any dirt road complaints here, but

1577
02:39:24,160 --> 02:39:30,479
Okay. Hearing no one, we'll close the
public hearing. And

1578
02:39:28,800 --> 02:39:34,920
thank you, Mr. Chair. Upon a motion of
Mr. Harrove, the committee voted

1579
02:39:31,920 --> 02:39:42,560
unanimously to recommend approval of the
FY2026 through 2031 VOT six-year plan as

1580
02:39:39,000 --> 02:39:49,359
follows. Uh, Lono Road 2026, Lambert
Road 2026, Bowowers Road 2027, Wilson

1581
02:39:45,760 --> 02:39:54,920
Newton Road 2027, Twin Cedar Road 2028,
and Reicho Road

1582
02:39:51,160 --> 02:40:02,080
2028. Luck Circle 2029, Dixie Bridge
2029, Hilltop Road 2029, Green Green

1583
02:39:57,920 --> 02:40:07,520
Greenwood Road 2029, Lrand Road 2031,
Weedman Road 2031, Turkey Road

1584
02:40:05,319 --> 02:40:13,520
2031. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to put in
formal motion. Okay. Motion being made

1585
02:40:10,960 --> 02:40:16,880
to approve the six-year plan. Uh, any
more

1586
02:40:14,280 --> 02:40:22,000
discussion? All in favor of the motion
say I. Opposed? The motion carries.

1587
02:40:20,560 --> 02:40:27,439
There being no further business, the
meeting will adjourn. Okay. All right,

1588
02:40:24,800 --> 02:40:32,479
Kevin. All right. Should be brief. Our
monthly report, you got it in the

1589
02:40:30,240 --> 02:40:36,399
package. Couple couple things I want to
hit on. We are safety mowing

1590
02:40:34,000 --> 02:40:40,560
intersections right now. Primary mowing
is scheduled to start this this week.

1591
02:40:39,040 --> 02:40:45,120
Um, of course, weather permitting.
They're calling for some rain. Uh, and

1592
02:40:43,120 --> 02:40:50,080
then the only thing we've got coming up,
Route 733,

1593
02:40:47,359 --> 02:40:54,720
um, MT Hayes Road. Uh we're we're
planning on closing that this week for a

1594
02:40:52,080 --> 02:40:58,880
pipe replacement detour be in place.
Weather permitting. We'll get it done by

1595
02:40:56,399 --> 02:41:03,600
the end of the week.
That's all. Okay. Is that all you have?

1596
02:41:00,560 --> 02:41:08,240
Yes. All right.
Nobody has anything. And we'll move

1597
02:41:05,040 --> 02:41:12,439
right along to the property committee.
You done yet?

1598
02:41:10,880 --> 02:41:18,880
I'll do my best
to brief. I'm terrible. I wish it was.

1599
02:41:16,399 --> 02:41:21,600
Uh thank you, Mr. Chair.
A meeting in the property committee was

1600
02:41:20,240 --> 02:41:25,439
held at the end for the county of
Mechenburgg on April 14th, 2025 at 1

1601
02:41:24,000 --> 02:41:29,840
p.m. in the board of supervisor meeting
room with the good bank building. I call

1602
02:41:27,680 --> 02:41:37,080
the meeting to order. I do a roll call.
Myself is here. Claudia

1603
02:41:32,760 --> 02:41:37,080
Londe, David Branklin.

1604
02:41:38,359 --> 02:41:46,760
No, they were here at that meeting. This
was I see Andy Harro, Dennis Spence also

1605
02:41:44,800 --> 02:41:51,680
present. Jim Jennings, Tom Tanner,
Russell Scott, Brent Evans, Brian Do

1606
02:41:50,080 --> 02:41:56,399
Scott Warner, Judy Sheffield, and Jenny
Wood. He was calling the door. Close

1607
02:41:53,439 --> 02:42:02,160
session. C1, Jefferson Street property.
C2, Highway 92 property. C3, Lacrosse

1608
02:41:59,200 --> 02:42:06,479
Elementary School site selection. Upon a
motion of H Andy Hoger, the board voted

1609
02:42:04,240 --> 02:42:08,800
yes to convene close session pursuant to
section

1610
02:42:09,640 --> 02:42:15,760
2.2-3711-8.3 of a code of Virginia.
Discussion or consideration of the

1611
02:42:14,240 --> 02:42:19,680
acquisition of real property for a
public purpose or the disposition of

1612
02:42:17,520 --> 02:42:23,040
publicly held real property where
discussion in an open meeting would

1613
02:42:21,200 --> 02:42:27,359
adversely affect the bargaining position
or negotiating strategy of the public

1614
02:42:24,880 --> 02:42:33,520
body. Sterling Wilson, Claudia Lundy,
David Franklin, Andy Hallrove, Dennis

1615
02:42:29,439 --> 02:42:37,840
Spence voted I D. Open session. Upon a
motion of Andy Hallrove, the board voted

1616
02:42:35,640 --> 02:42:41,520
unanimously to reconvene in open
session. Sterling Wilkinson, Claudia

1617
02:42:39,680 --> 02:42:47,600
Lumi, David Franklin, Andy Harrove,
Dennis voted I D1 is the certification

1618
02:42:45,399 --> 02:42:51,960
resolution. Upon a motion of Sterling
Wilkinson, the board voted unanimously

1619
02:42:49,439 --> 02:42:55,760
to adopt the following certification
resolution. Sterling Wilson, Claudia

1620
02:42:54,080 --> 02:43:01,080
Lundy, David Brankley, Andy Hallrove,
Dennis Spence voted

1621
02:42:57,720 --> 02:43:04,880
I certification of close
session. Whereas the MacBook County

1622
02:43:03,200 --> 02:43:08,800
Board of Supervisors convene to close
session on this day pursuant to an

1623
02:43:06,720 --> 02:43:12,960
affirmative record vote in accordance
with the provision of the Virginia

1624
02:43:10,240 --> 02:43:16,000
Freedom of Information Act. And whereas
section

1625
02:43:14,120 --> 02:43:19,600
2.2-3711 of the code of Virginia
requires a certification by the

1626
02:43:17,359 --> 02:43:24,000
Mugenburg County Board of Supervisors.
As such closed session was conducted in

1627
02:43:21,520 --> 02:43:27,920
conformity with Virginia law. Now
therefore be resolved that the Mugenberg

1628
02:43:25,840 --> 02:43:31,280
County Board of Supervisors hereby
certifies that to the best of each

1629
02:43:29,359 --> 02:43:35,200
member's knowledge only public business
matters lawfully exempted from open

1630
02:43:32,960 --> 02:43:38,560
meeting requirements by Virginia law
were discussed in the close session to

1631
02:43:36,800 --> 02:43:42,800
which the certification resolution
applies and only such public business

1632
02:43:40,960 --> 02:43:46,800
matters as were identified in the motion
pertaining to close session were heard

1633
02:43:45,040 --> 02:43:51,960
discussed or considered by the Mber
County Board of

1634
02:43:48,200 --> 02:43:56,640
Supervisors. C1 the Jefferson Street
property Upon a motion of Andy Hogrove,

1635
02:43:54,640 --> 02:44:01,359
the board voted unanimously to authorize
advertisement of a public hearing to be

1636
02:43:58,399 --> 02:44:06,640
held on May 12th, 2025 on the proposed
conveyance to David Crowder,

1637
02:44:03,279 --> 02:44:11,120
approximately 150.5 square feet of real
property known as the county public

1638
02:44:08,560 --> 02:44:18,680
parking lot located on Jefferson Street,
Boon, Virginia 23917, and identified on

1639
02:44:14,240 --> 02:44:23,800
the Megmer County tax map as TMP 1110
A07-

1640
02:44:21,000 --> 02:44:28,160
A-065. Parcel record number
19916. Sterling Wilkerson, Claudia

1641
02:44:26,160 --> 02:44:33,279
Londy, David Brankley, Andy Hogrove,
Dennis Spence voted I. And I pause here

1642
02:44:31,120 --> 02:44:37,520
need to have a public hearing. Okay. Uh
we'll now open the public hearing for

1643
02:44:35,359 --> 02:44:43,120
the conveyance of real property to David
Crowder. Anyone wishing to

1644
02:44:40,760 --> 02:44:48,720
speak? Hearing no one, we will close the
public hearing. What are the wishes? I'd

1645
02:44:46,080 --> 02:44:55,760
like to make this in a form of a motion
to approve this uh time. Motion's been

1646
02:44:52,240 --> 02:45:00,680
made. Uh all in favor say I. Those
opposed. The motion carries. That's all

1647
02:44:58,560 --> 02:45:06,640
I have, Mr. Chairman.
Okay. Budget finance. Mr.

1648
02:45:03,479 --> 02:45:10,000
Harrow an important part of the meeting.
Nobody

1649
02:45:08,399 --> 02:45:16,160
meeting of the budget finance committee
was held in and for the county mur on

1650
02:45:13,359 --> 02:45:21,439
April the 30th at 6 pm in the board of
supervisor meeting room at the Google

1651
02:45:17,920 --> 02:45:26,000
school building school bank building um
the roll call was myself chairman David

1652
02:45:23,680 --> 02:45:32,560
Franklin Wilson Tom Tanner Brenda
Blackwell also Jim Jennings Krabbit

1653
02:45:29,200 --> 02:45:37,600
Marsha Seamus Brent Evans Justin Burch
Judy Sheffield and Jenn

1654
02:45:35,000 --> 02:45:42,160
Whitmore This is Michelle Gordon, clerk
of the circuit court is requesting that

1655
02:45:39,760 --> 02:45:46,399
that the her current budget to be
amended based on the TTF money received

1656
02:45:44,319 --> 02:45:51,680
from the state compensation board in the
amount of

1657
02:45:48,680 --> 02:45:55,760
$45,963. These funds would help pay to
digitalize additional records, redact

1658
02:45:54,160 --> 02:46:01,840
records and yearly maintenance and
current SR and SCV records. PAR will be

1659
02:45:59,120 --> 02:46:09,680
used on new equipment for PLA scanning.
Uh, please appropriate

1660
02:46:04,359 --> 02:46:09,680
$45,963 from the funded to line item

1661
02:46:10,760 --> 02:46:17,840
021700-3500 for records of
digitalizations. Upon the motion, well,

1662
02:46:15,359 --> 02:46:22,800
let me stop here and make this uh upon a
motion uh Mr. Tana board voted

1663
02:46:20,720 --> 02:46:25,960
unanimously to recommend approval of the
supplemental appropriation in the amount

1664
02:46:24,720 --> 02:46:32,279
of
$45,963 to the circuit court clerk

1665
02:46:29,120 --> 02:46:36,800
budget line item records
digitizations. Uh myself, David

1666
02:46:34,560 --> 02:46:41,760
Brankley, Sterling Wilson, Tom Town, and
Brendan Blackwood both I uh I would like

1667
02:46:39,680 --> 02:46:46,399
to put this in the form of a motion that
we uh render to the uh state

1668
02:46:44,720 --> 02:46:51,359
compensation board in the amount of
$45,963.

1669
02:46:49,359 --> 02:46:58,000
Okay, everyone's heard the motion. All
in favor say I. I. Oppos. Motion

1670
02:46:54,600 --> 02:47:03,279
carries. Mr. Gotcha. Brie review the bud
the budget amendments previously sent to

1671
02:47:00,399 --> 02:47:07,680
the committee. Upon motion of David
Brinkley, the board voted unanimous to

1672
02:47:05,760 --> 02:47:12,560
approve the proposed budget amendments
as presented. Myself, David Brinkley,

1673
02:47:10,800 --> 02:47:17,920
Sterling Wilson, Tom Tan from the
Blackwood voted I. Upon the motion of of

1674
02:47:16,319 --> 02:47:24,399
Sterling Wilkerson, the board voted
unanimous to receive approval of the

1675
02:47:19,760 --> 02:47:29,520
recommended FY 202526 budget uh to the
full board. Myself, David Brankley, St.

1676
02:47:27,439 --> 02:47:34,640
Sterling Wilkerson, Tom Tann, and
Brendon Blackwell voted I. Uh I would

1677
02:47:32,479 --> 02:47:40,399
also like to put this into a form of a
motion to receive these um these voted

1678
02:47:38,000 --> 02:47:46,479
for for budget amendment and also for
the approval of the amendment for 25 and

1679
02:47:43,840 --> 02:47:50,040
26 budget. Okay, everyone's heard the
motion. Any discussion?

1680
02:47:50,960 --> 02:47:56,560
They were just placed into the proposed
budget. So they included Yeah, the

1681
02:47:54,640 --> 02:48:00,319
amendments are good to go. Yeah. Yeah.
We need to adopt the tax ordinance, the

1682
02:47:58,640 --> 02:48:03,680
budget ordinance. Well, we need roll
call for those. We don't need it for

1683
02:48:01,840 --> 02:48:11,200
that. What he just made the motion, do
we? What I made for that is doing that.

1684
02:48:07,120 --> 02:48:15,680
I'm sorry to say that what you read
brings the those ordinances in front of

1685
02:48:13,439 --> 02:48:20,880
this body to vote upon. Right. That's
what So there is no motions. We can just

1686
02:48:18,640 --> 02:48:24,399
vote on that and then everything else
got to have a roll call. Am I correct on

1687
02:48:22,479 --> 02:48:29,200
that there? No, you don't have to vote
on anything that he just did. Voting on

1688
02:48:26,560 --> 02:48:33,040
the ordinances is does all of the above.
Does all the above. Okay. Well, good.

1689
02:48:31,200 --> 02:48:38,000
So, we need roll call on that, too.
Okay. All right, Jenny. All right. So,

1690
02:48:35,520 --> 02:48:44,160
we'll do the tax ordinance first. Yes,
ma'am. Okay. Mr. Brankley. Yes. Mr.

1691
02:48:41,040 --> 02:48:50,000
Grabbit? Yes. Mr. Spence? Yes. Mr.
Hardro? Yes.

1692
02:48:46,479 --> 02:48:56,800
Mr. Wilkinson? Yes. Miss Blackwell? Yes.
Miss Lundy? Yes. Mr. Tanner? Yes. Mr.

1693
02:48:53,520 --> 02:49:01,439
Jennings? Yes. Okay. The next one we
will do for budget ordinance. Budget

1694
02:48:58,720 --> 02:49:07,680
ordinance, please. Mr. Brankley. Yes.
Mr. Grabbit. Yes. Mr. Spence. Yes. Mr.

1695
02:49:04,560 --> 02:49:14,080
Harro. Yes. Mr. Wilkinson. Yep. M.
Blackwell. Yes. Mrs. Lundy. Yes. Mr.

1696
02:49:10,800 --> 02:49:20,160
Tanner. Yes. Mr. Jennings. Yes. And then
our capital improvement.

1697
02:49:16,960 --> 02:49:26,479
Mr. Brinkley. Yes. Mr. Grabbit. Yes. Mr.
Spence. Yes. Mr. Harro. Yes. Mr.

1698
02:49:23,120 --> 02:49:32,960
Wilkinson. Yes. M. Blackwell. Yes. Mrs.
Lundy. Yes. Mr. Tanner. Yes. Mr.

1699
02:49:29,680 --> 02:49:38,319
Jennings. Yes. The next one is Chaseet
Elementary GMP. Pursuant to uh

1700
02:49:38,920 --> 02:49:45,279
56-575-16.5 of the code of Virginia, the
Mechburg County Board of Supervisor

1701
02:49:42,800 --> 02:49:51,319
hereby authorizes the Merkburg County
School Board to enter into a

1702
02:49:46,800 --> 02:49:54,720
comprehensive agreement to set in
56-575.9 of the code of Virginia with

1703
02:49:53,600 --> 02:49:58,960
Blair Construction for the
rehabilitation expansion of Chase Hill

1704
02:49:56,880 --> 02:50:03,960
Elementary School at a construction
guaranteed maximum price of 34,752,800.

1705
02:50:06,600 --> 02:50:16,160
76 motion. I would like to put this as a
motion uh to receive that school board

1706
02:50:13,120 --> 02:50:21,760
receive the uh BL construction
rehabilitation of the school for 34

1707
02:50:18,240 --> 02:50:28,680
million of best price. Okay, everyone's
heard the motion. All in favor say I. I

1708
02:50:24,560 --> 02:50:28,680
oppose. The motion carries.

1709
02:50:28,960 --> 02:50:36,160
Is that all? Okay. All right. Public
comment. I assume we had have none. I

1710
02:50:33,680 --> 02:50:42,640
think we all through all of that twice.
Yeah. Well, they got tired of talking.

1711
02:50:38,720 --> 02:50:48,479
We're not going to let them talk. I'm
okay. Um, Alex,

1712
02:50:46,160 --> 02:50:54,800
we just have your stat reports in here.
Uh, the only thing I'd highlight is we

1713
02:50:51,120 --> 02:50:59,200
received the uh transformer system uh
that's necessary to power our expansion

1714
02:50:57,680 --> 02:51:04,439
of this building here. So, hopefully
that work will progress uh smoothly. We

1715
02:51:01,520 --> 02:51:10,000
were waiting on that part.
Okay. So, that's it. You all right?

1716
02:51:08,560 --> 02:51:14,720
Chairman's report. We've got an
appointment on the library board.

1717
02:51:17,319 --> 02:51:24,319
Um, so we've got one that's eligible for
reappointment.

1718
02:51:24,920 --> 02:51:32,960
Um, Mr. Christy Russell was appointed to
serve the unexpired term of Miss

1719
02:51:30,399 --> 02:51:37,439
Borhees. I'm not sure how you say her
name, but anyway, u she's eligible for

1720
02:51:37,640 --> 02:51:45,040
reappoint. Anybody like to make a motion
for that? So, move. All right. All in

1721
02:51:42,960 --> 02:51:49,080
favor of the motion say I. Motion
carries.

1722
02:51:46,640 --> 02:51:54,680
And then we've got a
resignation with two years left on the

1723
02:51:51,520 --> 02:51:59,920
term with Miss I mean, yeah, Amanda
Bowen resigned

1724
02:51:57,479 --> 02:52:05,760
and she's got two years left on that
term. So, we've got to appoint somebody

1725
02:52:03,040 --> 02:52:08,760
for that. And we've got Mr. Marcus
Broadwater. I don't know him. I guess I

1726
02:52:07,840 --> 02:52:14,960
see
the bio in there.

1727
02:52:12,319 --> 02:52:18,640
Anybody have any comment on that at all?
What are you saying? I thought we just

1728
02:52:16,960 --> 02:52:22,720
um put one person in, is Christy
Russell, one's resigning. Well, one's

1729
02:52:21,120 --> 02:52:27,120
resigning, too. Miss Bowman, who's
resigning, but where are you now? At

1730
02:52:25,040 --> 02:52:31,600
Southside Planning, or you have another
one for I got another one for Okay.

1731
02:52:29,120 --> 02:52:31,600
Okay.

1732
02:52:34,399 --> 02:52:44,160
Do we know anything? I don't know. I
don't know anything about

1733
02:52:39,000 --> 02:52:51,880
on Tom. You know, I do. I do not.
Does it have a resume? Yeah, it's on

1734
02:52:46,479 --> 02:52:51,880
there. It's not coming up. school with

1735
02:52:56,399 --> 02:53:02,560
I mean if you got somebody willing to
serve and they qualify let them go. It's

1736
02:53:00,160 --> 02:53:07,680
kind of way I feel about it. The branch
is you know recommended he's a patron of

1737
02:53:04,720 --> 02:53:12,960
this and they have changed their bylaws
so that um they need at least um each

1738
02:53:11,359 --> 02:53:17,200
branch does need at least like one
patron. So this guy would meet those

1739
02:53:14,960 --> 02:53:22,640
requirements. Okay. Anybody like to make
a motion point this me? Okay. Motion

1740
02:53:20,080 --> 02:53:28,680
been made. All in favor say I. I. All
right. All right. Let me get to this

1741
02:53:25,040 --> 02:53:28,680
one. Next one here.

1742
02:53:37,520 --> 02:53:44,319
You all still making motions. All right.
We've

1743
02:53:40,680 --> 02:53:50,160
got appointment to safe behavioral
health board and um

1744
02:53:47,760 --> 02:53:55,200
Calhoun I think is the one we've got to
buy. I think would probably be a very

1745
02:53:52,479 --> 02:54:00,960
good candidate. Absolutely. Anybody like
to make that motion?

1746
02:53:58,640 --> 02:54:07,200
Miss Tana made it first. I think she got
you by the nose. Be hidden. Yes, ma'am.

1747
02:54:03,439 --> 02:54:10,880
Who was on? It's been so long. It's been
I can't even remember. Oh, okay. Okay.

1748
02:54:09,600 --> 02:54:15,760
All right. All in favor of the motion
for Miss Calhoun, say I. I. Motion

1749
02:54:13,920 --> 02:54:20,120
carries.
All right. Let me get to the next one.

1750
02:54:24,560 --> 02:54:27,560
See,

1751
02:54:30,640 --> 02:54:37,439
what is this on the safe side planning
district right here? What?

1752
02:54:35,840 --> 02:54:43,920
I don't have anything on that. Let me
look at a couple page. Mr. Chair, uh Mr.

1753
02:54:40,560 --> 02:54:48,840
Simmons's term expires in June.
Okay, I got it now.

1754
02:54:46,160 --> 02:54:54,319
Oh, his term expires.
Yeah. June of 25. So, we need somebody

1755
02:54:51,840 --> 02:54:58,880
else on that, right? He's eligible. He's
eligible for reappoint. Okay. And he's

1756
02:54:56,960 --> 02:55:04,479
the citizen at large member of that
board. So, that's Claus. Will you want

1757
02:55:00,960 --> 02:55:11,319
to make that motion? M. Okay. All in
favor of the motion say I. I. The motion

1758
02:55:07,040 --> 02:55:16,800
carries. I'll entertain a motion to
u approve the consent calendar.

1759
02:55:14,800 --> 02:55:23,319
So move, Mr. Chairman. All in favor of
the motion say I. I. I. Motion carries.

1760
02:55:21,000 --> 02:55:28,640
Okay. Board me
mouse. Misspense. You want to go? I

1761
02:55:28,920 --> 02:55:37,560
can. Um I just had couple of thank yous.
uh recognize a couple of different

1762
02:55:35,319 --> 02:55:44,640
organizations.
Um we attended the Meckllinburgg fire

1763
02:55:40,960 --> 02:55:51,200
chief's uh invite um with with a great
meeting. Uh great dinner. Um very

1764
02:55:48,040 --> 02:55:57,120
informative. Um gave us a lot of insight
I think on where the cost of equipment

1765
02:55:53,600 --> 02:56:01,680
and what whatnot has gone to. U which I
thought was very important as we move

1766
02:55:58,720 --> 02:56:06,000
forward. uh considering different pieces
of equipment like we've already had to

1767
02:56:03,479 --> 02:56:09,680
consider ambulances and things of that
nature. Uh we really do need to

1768
02:56:08,160 --> 02:56:17,439
understand
uh what the cost of things are u today

1769
02:56:14,319 --> 02:56:23,520
and how they continue to increase. And I
thought that was uh a very good um

1770
02:56:20,640 --> 02:56:29,600
presentation that uh the fire chiefs
made and and I I greatly appreciate the

1771
02:56:25,840 --> 02:56:35,359
invite. uh greatly appreciate them uh
putting on that u presentation. Um I

1772
02:56:33,439 --> 02:56:39,439
call it that because they had the
equipment laid out and much of the

1773
02:56:37,359 --> 02:56:45,359
equipment had price tags attached to it
so you could see exactly what that

1774
02:56:41,520 --> 02:56:48,720
individual piece of equipment costs. Um
so greatly appreciate them doing that

1775
02:56:47,200 --> 02:56:54,640
and I would encourage them to do that
for the public. I think uh it would be

1776
02:56:51,439 --> 02:57:00,960
uh very informative for the public. Also
want to thank the uh Mechanburg County

1777
02:56:56,960 --> 02:57:05,920
uh school board. Uh same thing. We we uh
had a meeting and a dinner with them. Uh

1778
02:57:03,439 --> 02:57:11,760
had a chance to uh to visit the
Clarksville Elementary School. Uh again,

1779
02:57:08,960 --> 02:57:18,319
very informative. They did a great job
of u hosting us and showing us around

1780
02:57:15,120 --> 02:57:24,160
and explaining things and um looking
forward to seeing that school uh up and

1781
02:57:21,399 --> 02:57:30,960
operating. Nice facility.
That's all. Okay. Miss London Ditto.

1782
02:57:26,800 --> 02:57:37,600
Plus the play at the high school was
last week, last Friday night evening and

1783
02:57:34,240 --> 02:57:41,840
Saturday at two. The play Charlotte
Brown is a good person and it was

1784
02:57:39,600 --> 02:57:49,120
excellent. They did an excellent job. We
did a very excellent job. Okay. You

1785
02:57:44,560 --> 02:57:53,680
should have seen it. Okay. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, first I

1786
02:57:51,680 --> 02:57:56,960
want to thank this board and employees
for everybody's thoughts and prayers

1787
02:57:55,200 --> 02:58:03,160
when my mother passed away a few weeks
ago. It was greatly appreciated. Um, as

1788
02:58:01,520 --> 02:58:08,000
far as the budget
goes, thank you to Alex and Judy and all

1789
02:58:06,479 --> 02:58:13,200
of the staff for all of their hard work
on that. I know it's been a multi-month

1790
02:58:10,319 --> 02:58:18,160
process, but uh I think it's definitely
going to show our commitment to all our

1791
02:58:15,680 --> 02:58:25,120
employees that, you know, we we're
standing with them. And um on the school

1792
02:58:22,720 --> 02:58:29,279
board side, thank y'all for the invite.
Clarkville Elementary is a very

1793
02:58:26,560 --> 02:58:33,600
beautiful building. Looks very nice. Uh
and again, the fire department put on a

1794
02:58:31,040 --> 02:58:38,720
really nice educational
uh thing the other day. Um one of the

1795
02:58:36,800 --> 02:58:43,279
things I went to a couple HOA meetings
around the lake because of course that's

1796
02:58:40,160 --> 02:58:47,800
where the the new uh convenience center
is being built. And uh one of the

1797
02:58:45,600 --> 02:58:54,240
questions that I got asked there
was what about small amounts of

1798
02:58:51,120 --> 02:58:57,680
construction material and I think from
the landfield committee side I think

1799
02:58:56,000 --> 02:59:03,120
it's something that we may need to look
at because you know some of them had the

1800
02:59:00,399 --> 02:59:06,479
questions of okay if I tear my toilet
out can I take my toilet or do I have to

1801
02:59:05,200 --> 02:59:10,880
take it to board you know stuff like
that and I think Judy and I talked about

1802
02:59:08,319 --> 02:59:16,880
it the other night too. I think um Alex
and him had talked about this summer

1803
02:59:12,399 --> 02:59:21,359
having an intern work on like a a county
newsletter type of thing for the year

1804
02:59:18,880 --> 02:59:24,560
and possibly if we mail that out maybe
putting some more information in there

1805
02:59:22,720 --> 02:59:28,720
about the convenience centers and stuff
like that and times what we can take

1806
02:59:26,640 --> 02:59:34,720
there what we can't and just stuff like
that. Um the other thing as far as the

1807
02:59:32,880 --> 02:59:41,200
uh solar project that we dealt with
today, um I would say I think one thing

1808
02:59:37,760 --> 02:59:48,479
we heard out of it was Chase City's need
for some type of support. Um and I think

1809
02:59:45,439 --> 02:59:54,399
in speaking with Mr. Godchock that the
three projects that we currently have,

1810
02:59:50,319 --> 02:59:58,680
we get funding from them. Um, I don't
remember the amount off the top of my

1811
02:59:55,680 --> 03:00:03,920
head, but um, I do think
that Chase City, from everything we've

1812
03:00:01,760 --> 03:00:08,960
heard and everything else, these solar
farms kind of surround Chase City. I

1813
03:00:06,399 --> 03:00:13,960
think if we do have a means from the
projects that are currently in

1814
03:00:11,560 --> 03:00:18,960
production that we
could take the three representatives

1815
03:00:16,640 --> 03:00:22,240
that are from Chase City and have y'all
talk to Alex, see what the amount is,

1816
03:00:20,880 --> 03:00:26,399
maybe come back to the board and say,
"Hey, we would like to use that money to

1817
03:00:24,720 --> 03:00:31,520
try to help Chase City." I just think
Chase City needs something. Um, I mean,

1818
03:00:29,600 --> 03:00:34,560
I know from like they said riding
through there, there a lot of

1819
03:00:32,880 --> 03:00:39,520
storefronts and stuff like that and
every town is facing

1820
03:00:36,960 --> 03:00:44,640
um aging infrastructure and everything
else. But I think if um since we don't I

1821
03:00:43,279 --> 03:00:47,680
don't think we're going to move forward
with any more projects. We're going to

1822
03:00:46,080 --> 03:00:53,840
stay where we at. I think it would be a
good uh use of that money to at least

1823
03:00:50,800 --> 03:00:58,240
benefit those citizens in that area uh
for what we have approved

1824
03:00:55,880 --> 03:01:03,359
anyway. And that's all I got, M. All
right. Thank you, Mr. Mike. Well, that

1825
03:01:01,520 --> 03:01:07,200
feeding off what Tom said, can you come
up with that amount of money that we get

1826
03:01:05,040 --> 03:01:12,160
per year off of those three projects?
Yes, we do have the uh revenues that we

1827
03:01:10,160 --> 03:01:17,120
get from those projects, they are not
significant. I mean, they're more than a

1828
03:01:14,319 --> 03:01:20,800
homeowner, of course, but they are not
large because we did not have the

1829
03:01:19,200 --> 03:01:25,279
sighting agreements in place at the
time. So, we have no upfront capital

1830
03:01:23,040 --> 03:01:30,960
payments from them. nor were we allowed
to impose uh the revenue sharing amount

1831
03:01:28,160 --> 03:01:37,760
on it, the $1,400 per megawatt that is
now allowed by law. So, um we pretty

1832
03:01:34,640 --> 03:01:41,760
much only get the real estate uh revenue
off of it. Um we don't even get

1833
03:01:39,760 --> 03:01:48,160
machinery and tools tax rate because of
the magnitude of the projects. The code

1834
03:01:44,240 --> 03:01:51,760
of Virginia has a um special provision
in there that if you're over a certain

1835
03:01:49,680 --> 03:01:56,000
amount of megawws, you're taxed at the
real estate rate and not the machinery

1836
03:01:53,279 --> 03:02:02,399
and tools rate. So, we get that 36 cents
per hundred on um the improvements on

1837
03:02:00,000 --> 03:02:06,080
the land as well, but it's only the real
estate tax rate. So, there is a revenue

1838
03:02:04,319 --> 03:02:12,479
that comes in from it. It's part of our
overall um revenue picture. Um and we

1839
03:02:10,560 --> 03:02:19,040
could certainly
um designate those funds to support

1840
03:02:16,080 --> 03:02:25,760
other activities. Um but it's not going
to be um

1841
03:02:21,560 --> 03:02:31,040
significantly lifealtering for economic
uh changes in that community. Now, do

1842
03:02:28,560 --> 03:02:37,279
they do they get any of the money from
the the 92 project or Microsoft is right

1843
03:02:34,800 --> 03:02:41,680
there? Will they don't get No. Chase
City is a partner. Well, the Chase City

1844
03:02:40,000 --> 03:02:49,439
IDA is a partner as well as the
Clarksville EDA in the Lakeside Commerce

1845
03:02:45,760 --> 03:02:55,040
Park development um next to Okanichi.
And so they will get a share of the

1846
03:02:52,880 --> 03:02:59,520
proceeds from that development. So there
is a dedicated revenue source related to

1847
03:02:57,600 --> 03:03:04,399
data center development that will funnel
back into Chase City. Um that site is

1848
03:03:02,000 --> 03:03:09,920
not currently at the point of having
active building. um right now, but at

1849
03:03:08,160 --> 03:03:14,640
some point in the near future it will
and they will start generating some um

1850
03:03:12,560 --> 03:03:18,160
direct revenue based on that. But the
ones that are immediately in the

1851
03:03:16,000 --> 03:03:23,120
vicinity of Chase City, no, those were
not in the town limits. Um they were in

1852
03:03:20,319 --> 03:03:29,920
the county and there was no partnership
um that was provided by the town towards

1853
03:03:26,000 --> 03:03:36,080
its development. Now they are um given
the water and the um well not the water

1854
03:03:32,880 --> 03:03:41,120
the the wastewater um services and they
will get some plant upgrades

1855
03:03:38,439 --> 03:03:45,680
accordingly. Um so there is a net
benefit to the town aside from being

1856
03:03:42,800 --> 03:03:50,479
just a customer um as a result of that
particular development being located

1857
03:03:47,840 --> 03:03:55,200
where it is situated. So when they get
built and all, is it possible we could

1858
03:03:52,319 --> 03:03:58,640
look at what that one facility will they
break it down where that we could see

1859
03:03:56,960 --> 03:04:05,120
what that one facility is generating
moneywise and maybe look at sharing that

1860
03:04:02,640 --> 03:04:10,319
with them in a a certain amount or
something. Um that's a possibility. Um,

1861
03:04:08,080 --> 03:04:14,960
there's also the possibility that you
could retain that revenue and direct it

1862
03:04:12,479 --> 03:04:18,880
on your own accord for projects that you
deem to be beneficial in that area

1863
03:04:16,960 --> 03:04:24,720
rather than passing it through to
another party, right? Because you know

1864
03:04:22,319 --> 03:04:29,120
the the mud or everything that Chase it
is dealing with that not not so much the

1865
03:04:26,880 --> 03:04:34,240
county and everything and all and all.
So you brought that

1866
03:04:32,399 --> 03:04:38,640
and I'm I'm sorry I missed that clause
on elementary meal and tour. Um I hope

1867
03:04:36,479 --> 03:04:41,880
we will have another one. I'll come if
you don't have a meal but if you do have

1868
03:04:40,080 --> 03:04:47,840
another one I'll come to
that but uh and do that and uh yeah the

1869
03:04:45,279 --> 03:04:52,000
the the fire department what they did in
here um at board and that that that was

1870
03:04:49,840 --> 03:04:57,920
great real eye opening. Again I think
the public needs to see some of that and

1871
03:04:54,319 --> 03:05:02,720
all too and do that. Well we um of
course we

1872
03:04:59,200 --> 03:05:07,439
did the seven bridges today. We analyst
is coming back again to we'll have to

1873
03:05:05,840 --> 03:05:11,359
hear that. Where are we at with the like
the Finnywood? Have they provided

1874
03:05:09,680 --> 03:05:14,479
anything or going forward? Because I
know we talked about they got a certain

1875
03:05:12,880 --> 03:05:19,120
amount of days or something to do
something and have we heard anything

1876
03:05:15,840 --> 03:05:24,960
from them? They ha we have heard from
them. Um they did previously agree to

1877
03:05:21,920 --> 03:05:31,680
extend uh the period of time in which we
have to hear uh and make a decision on

1878
03:05:28,640 --> 03:05:36,399
their project. They have not submitted
um a revised sighting agreement and they

1879
03:05:34,560 --> 03:05:40,160
have not given us an indication that
they wish for their hearing to be

1880
03:05:38,080 --> 03:05:43,760
scheduled at this point in time. So how
much longer do we wait because I think

1881
03:05:41,680 --> 03:05:48,800
we got some things in place of moving
the cap down.

1882
03:05:45,760 --> 03:05:52,560
You know we voted on that. So, how long
do we wait for them to come? September

1883
03:05:50,720 --> 03:05:58,319
24th.
Mhm. I made that motion to vote to to

1884
03:05:55,680 --> 03:06:03,680
cap it at where it's at. Yeah. Once once
these go through. Yeah. So, the period

1885
03:06:00,800 --> 03:06:08,080
of time in which they have agreed to is
um in the late summer. So we we will

1886
03:06:06,160 --> 03:06:15,920
have to they will either have to
indicate to us affirmatively that they

1887
03:06:11,120 --> 03:06:23,040
um wish to have that hearing or else um
that period of time is going to elapse.

1888
03:06:17,920 --> 03:06:28,000
Okay. So in September. Mhm.
Okay. So by September by September it

1889
03:06:25,680 --> 03:06:33,359
will by September there will be one way
or the other. Okay. That's all I got.

1890
03:06:31,279 --> 03:06:37,359
I'm sorry Mr. Fargo got overlooked again
on his road, but I mean we want to kind

1891
03:06:35,359 --> 03:06:42,279
of keep that going. It's a lot of fun.
You I I guess he's just trying to

1892
03:06:39,279 --> 03:06:48,399
preserve the rule integrity of
your own 60

1893
03:06:45,000 --> 03:06:51,680
year 60.
Well, you know those are silver

1894
03:06:51,800 --> 03:06:58,399
it thank you. I don't have a lot. Um
just glad to see you know about the

1895
03:06:57,120 --> 03:07:03,520
budget. Thank y'all for all y'all's
work. All, you know, one one of this

1896
03:07:01,760 --> 03:07:07,200
size that we're all in agreeance on most
things says a lot about our board and

1897
03:07:05,200 --> 03:07:11,200
the county. We got sort of same vision
going forward and um that's a good

1898
03:07:09,680 --> 03:07:14,680
thing. It could certainly be another
way. So, we should all be thankful for

1899
03:07:12,840 --> 03:07:18,560
that. And
um you know, I'm glad to see we can step

1900
03:07:16,960 --> 03:07:22,880
up, you know, helping out and paving
some of these roads. You know, I mean,

1901
03:07:20,160 --> 03:07:25,840
it the 60-year plan, as you just said, I
mean, it seems like it just takes

1902
03:07:24,000 --> 03:07:29,040
forever. And for us to have the ability
to expedite all this, I mean, people

1903
03:07:27,520 --> 03:07:32,240
need to recognize that, you know, that's
a part of some of the growing pains with

1904
03:07:31,120 --> 03:07:36,080
the industry in this county, but that
would not happen. That was just a small

1905
03:07:33,760 --> 03:07:38,640
example or an investment in all
employees, which is a good investment,

1906
03:07:37,439 --> 03:07:44,240
but I'm just saying people really need
to recognize that. Um, and you know,

1907
03:07:42,720 --> 03:07:47,200
going back to Chase City, I think we
should I don't know the correct route,

1908
03:07:45,680 --> 03:07:50,720
but we should try to help in any way we
can. It all seems like they're all

1909
03:07:48,800 --> 03:07:55,040
basically due to infrastructure. that's
where they're all focused, you know, and

1910
03:07:52,479 --> 03:07:59,920
I understand that, you know, but, you
know, we really need to do what we can

1911
03:07:56,720 --> 03:08:03,760
to support them and and I hope that
people in that area don't take it

1912
03:08:01,760 --> 03:08:07,840
personally the votes that we did today
for the solar. You know, we're not

1913
03:08:05,760 --> 03:08:11,279
trying to hurt them, not support them in
any way. It's not about that at all. You

1914
03:08:09,920 --> 03:08:15,040
know, I I personally feel like it get
voted down for other reasons, but I just

1915
03:08:13,359 --> 03:08:20,880
hope that that residents will realize
that. So, that's all I

1916
03:08:19,120 --> 03:08:25,120
The two
Elementary is very nice. The building

1917
03:08:23,279 --> 03:08:31,040
and the campus
um fire department. The meal was

1918
03:08:27,800 --> 03:08:36,960
delicious and um display of equipment
shows exactly what is needed and what

1919
03:08:34,319 --> 03:08:43,680
improvements have been made. Thank you
to Alex and Juny for your work on the

1920
03:08:40,439 --> 03:08:49,439
budget and a great big thank you for
Alex for his leadership.

1921
03:08:46,200 --> 03:08:52,439
Um the investment is in you is well
worth

1922
03:08:59,359 --> 03:09:06,720
I mean I mean yeah everything everybody
said spot on. I couldn't agree more. And

1923
03:09:04,160 --> 03:09:10,080
I just want to do I just wanted to also
go ahead and apologize for not being

1924
03:09:08,479 --> 03:09:15,640
able to come to the elementary school. I
was trying to get off work as as much as

1925
03:09:12,640 --> 03:09:21,439
I could, but the boss wouldn't let me
off so that I might get fired, so I

1926
03:09:18,720 --> 03:09:26,399
didn't get fired from my job. But, uh,
like I say, I I I drive by it often and

1927
03:09:25,120 --> 03:09:30,960
I know they're making wonderful
progress. The facility from the outside

1928
03:09:28,800 --> 03:09:37,040
looks beautiful from my, you know, from
my perspective. Um, but other than that,

1929
03:09:34,479 --> 03:09:42,840
everybody be safe,
right? I'm the only standing between us

1930
03:09:39,840 --> 03:09:49,319
at lunch. So I promise you I
brief let Miss

1931
03:09:45,840 --> 03:09:55,319
Oh yeah, I forgot about you
over I started like this right here and

1932
03:09:51,760 --> 03:10:00,200
I forget I skip over him right hand man
over I had the right name for he been

1933
03:09:58,160 --> 03:10:05,439
writing over there for 30
minutes take my time up I had the right

1934
03:10:02,880 --> 03:10:08,560
I had the right hand over
I'm telling you when I get in a hurry

1935
03:10:06,720 --> 03:10:13,439
man I'm in a hurry he's thinking about
his food. I really get things done.

1936
03:10:10,640 --> 03:10:17,200
Yeah, it's raining. You know, I I really
was appreciative. I was at a funeral one

1937
03:10:15,359 --> 03:10:22,240
day and someone walked to me and said,
"Well, we interested in some property in

1938
03:10:19,120 --> 03:10:27,120
Palm Springs and I didn't want to worry
him and and chase him off." So, I called

1939
03:10:24,479 --> 03:10:30,720
him a couple of times and and so I he
got my phone number and he's supposed to

1940
03:10:28,880 --> 03:10:35,920
call me back to put a convenience center
over there. Uh, and I haven't heard from

1941
03:10:33,120 --> 03:10:39,960
him since Saturday, and I'm trying not
to dial his number, but I'm, you know,

1942
03:10:38,800 --> 03:10:44,720
kind of
fidgety. So, I do want to try to for

1943
03:10:42,880 --> 03:10:49,600
Wayne and us to go over and take a look
at it so that we can try to acquire it

1944
03:10:46,479 --> 03:10:54,000
while he's while he's has the intention
um for the budget. Thank you, Alex, and

1945
03:10:52,399 --> 03:10:58,319
Miss Judy and so forth for doing the
budget and whoever else is affiliated

1946
03:10:55,760 --> 03:11:03,439
associated with that. I do appreciate I
do appreciate that. Uh, Mr. Bailey came

1947
03:11:01,040 --> 03:11:09,200
and sat last Saturday and did a CPR
class for us from the EMS. Miss David De

1948
03:11:06,160 --> 03:11:13,680
set him up and Mr. Justin was also aware
of that and I think that's his name, Mr.

1949
03:11:11,200 --> 03:11:19,040
Bailey. Is that correct? Okay, Mr. M.
And so he did a CPR class and it was a

1950
03:11:16,880 --> 03:11:25,760
wonderful thing that he taught. Now I
would advise uh if you need a CPA CPR

1951
03:11:22,960 --> 03:11:30,800
class taught to get with Mr. Justin or
Miss David to have one set up. They are

1952
03:11:28,160 --> 03:11:34,160
very informative and is something that I
believe every organization needs to be

1953
03:11:32,479 --> 03:11:39,359
aware of because you never know when you
will need that time for it to to um to

1954
03:11:36,960 --> 03:11:44,640
accelerate on your experience of EMS.
And

1955
03:11:40,279 --> 03:11:50,960
also that's another concern is that um I
I think the reason why that we do what

1956
03:11:47,920 --> 03:11:57,439
we do here as far as solar is because of
but the lack of trust from the public.

1957
03:11:54,080 --> 03:12:02,720
Um the public right now they say this,
they say that and everybody makes

1958
03:11:59,760 --> 03:12:08,399
promises until the actuality come in and
then that's when the promises are really

1959
03:12:04,960 --> 03:12:15,680
really being revealed. And thus far the
last three entities has not revealed the

1960
03:12:12,319 --> 03:12:20,560
positivity that they proclaimed. And so
someone that come in whole is trying

1961
03:12:18,960 --> 03:12:24,240
that public don't trust right now
because they've been bit three times. So

1962
03:12:22,560 --> 03:12:29,040
you can't tell me that the dog going to
bite and get it bit three times. So and

1963
03:12:26,880 --> 03:12:33,840
this is f where I think what we stand at
right now and and and it's it's harmful

1964
03:12:31,439 --> 03:12:37,520
for Chase said it do need something to
help them. Uh and that was one of the

1965
03:12:35,680 --> 03:12:41,920
reason why I believe the first time we
approved it because they said this is

1966
03:12:39,120 --> 03:12:46,080
going to happen. Uh and it it affected
some but it didn't do a whole lot of

1967
03:12:43,439 --> 03:12:50,560
change because nothing last over a
period of time. And also the elementary

1968
03:12:48,399 --> 03:12:53,520
school is a wonderful school and we
thank you for having us there. And the

1969
03:12:52,000 --> 03:12:57,000
real reason why you had dinner there
because you were hoping Mr. Brinker

1970
03:12:54,800 --> 03:13:01,760
would come and he
would. So uh and next time just invite

1971
03:13:00,160 --> 03:13:08,240
us to school was because he either going
to come or he's not. Thank you. Very

1972
03:13:05,439 --> 03:13:12,240
good. I I completely agree with
everything everybody else has said.

1973
03:13:10,560 --> 03:13:17,080
Thank y'all on working on the budget.
You always do a wonderful job. do a

1974
03:13:14,000 --> 03:13:23,600
great job and the detail in it is
superb. Um, I would like to follow up

1975
03:13:20,479 --> 03:13:28,960
what Tom said about uh Chay City. I
think something needs to be done. Mifel,

1976
03:13:26,160 --> 03:13:33,359
I know you have the the lion cha of the
district there, but I think Mr. Brankley

1977
03:13:30,720 --> 03:13:37,840
and I on iota edges of he on the west
and I'm on the east. So, if we could,

1978
03:13:36,239 --> 03:13:42,640
Alex, maybe try to put something
together, maybe you can come up with

1979
03:13:39,439 --> 03:13:48,800
something to recommend and we can maybe
meet briefly before our next meeting and

1980
03:13:46,000 --> 03:13:53,920
kind of outline some things that uh
could be done to help them. You know, we

1981
03:13:51,040 --> 03:13:58,000
thrive and the county is thriving right
now and and we need to take everybody

1982
03:13:56,080 --> 03:14:03,760
with us. AB: Absolutely. You know,
absolutely. Just quick question. Uh you

1983
03:14:01,760 --> 03:14:10,000
mentioned Chase City. So, is is there no
additional uh uh industrial property out

1984
03:14:07,600 --> 03:14:16,479
there? Right. Because Microsoft took up
what we had. Correct.

1985
03:14:12,080 --> 03:14:24,399
There is a very small site that is in
the north side of Chase City. Um there

1986
03:14:20,319 --> 03:14:31,040
is a warehouse that is in not great
shape that is located there. Um which we

1987
03:14:27,920 --> 03:14:36,880
do not own and has suffered some
violations. Um, so it is possible to

1988
03:14:34,720 --> 03:14:42,399
cobble together a very very small site
up there, but there is not going to be

1989
03:14:38,960 --> 03:14:48,160
the potential presently for a very large
site, especially if you don't want to

1990
03:14:44,960 --> 03:14:53,200
bound this the town's growth potential.
And that's part of the issues that have

1991
03:14:50,319 --> 03:14:59,120
arisen with um one of the solar
facilities being cited over there is it

1992
03:14:55,760 --> 03:15:04,720
took off potential areas for the town to
grow. Um so building immediately on the

1993
03:15:02,399 --> 03:15:09,760
line isn't always a great thing because
you cut off any residential

1994
03:15:07,160 --> 03:15:15,040
potential. Um so you could get a small
site up there but uh you wouldn't get a

1995
03:15:12,319 --> 03:15:19,279
a large scale industrial site because
the of the ones immed like you said the

1996
03:15:17,279 --> 03:15:23,120
ones immediately around it have been
taken for that purpose. Just thought

1997
03:15:21,439 --> 03:15:26,640
there was another option. Okay. All
right. But if we can do that maybe talk

1998
03:15:25,120 --> 03:15:31,200
briefly before our next meeting that'd
be that'd be great. All right. Anybody

1999
03:15:29,439 --> 03:15:34,840
have anything else?
We'll stand a journ.