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Public commenter asks Henry County to ask court to set aside Beavers Tail Solar tax-abatement pending studies
Summary
A member of the public asked the Henry County Commission to direct county counsel to request that the court set aside a tax-abatement agreement with Beavers Tail Solar so independent economic and environmental studies can be completed; the request was presented as a prepared motion but was not voted on by the commission.
A member of the public urged the Henry County Commission to ask the court to set aside a tax-abatement agreement with Beavers Tail Solar and to complete independent economic and environmental impact studies before the county reaffirms the deal. The commenter said past decisions appeared to rest on assumptions and information provided by the solar company rather than documented analysis.
The commenter proposed a formal motion: "I make a motion that the Henry County Commission direct county counsel to notify the court that based upon information established through ongoing litigation, commission requests that the tax abatement agreement entered into with Beavers Tail Solar and its associate entities be set aside. The purpose of this request is to allow the county to complete an independent economic study and environmental impact review that were not conducted prior to the agreement's approval." The motion text also requested that, upon completion of those studies, the commission review the findings in a duly noticed public meeting and thereafter determine whether to reaffirm, amend, or decline the tax abatement agreement.
The commenter said the change could "only benefit the county," argued the solar company would oppose the request, and urged commissioners to act in the public interest rather than for the company. The speaker also said commissioners were "laying tens of millions on the line," without providing a precise figure.
The motion was prepared by the speaker and copies were offered to commissioners for consideration. The record shows the proposal was presented during public comment; there was no recorded motion made by the commission, no second, and no vote on the proposed instruction to county counsel during the meeting.
Next steps: The commission did not vote on the prepared motion during this session. The record shows the public commenter asked that county counsel be directed to notify the court and that the commission review any completed studies in a future public meeting.
