During public comment at the Dec. 27 commission meeting, Speaker 4, who identified herself as Melissa Rhodes and said she is contracted with Shasta Power to represent Shasta Solar in Crawford and Stafford counties, told commissioners the company "is here to stay" and plans to invest in Crawford County.

Rhodes said a preliminary survey will be shared with local governments and community groups and urged residents to complete it. She said Shasta Solar anticipates employing about 200 workers during a two-year construction period and retaining roughly 10 employees afterward for maintenance and security. Rhodes described outreach efforts to local schools and training programs, saying the company hoped to create internships with CTEC and Penn State to support workforce development.

Commissioners pressed for clarification about the timeline and hiring and discussed the merits of making draft survey material public. Rhodes said the version being circulated to city commissions was preliminary and that a later county mailing would follow; Speaker 2 cautioned that public sharing could affect stock or competitive details.

What happens next: Rhodes said she would attend future meetings and provide updates; commissioners and staff indicated they would stay in contact about outreach and workforce coordination.

Representative quotes from the meeting include Rhodes saying, "They're here to stay," and pinpointing the planned staffing level: "200 employees. It's a 2 year build and it'll take about 200 employees."