Blackford County Council approves 10‑year, 75% tax abatement for Prairie Creek Phase 2 amid fierce public comment

Blackford County Council members voted to approve a 10‑year, 75% personal property tax abatement for Prairie Creek Phase 2, a 103.5‑megawatt wind project with 23 turbines, after an extended public comment period in which residents pressed for financial figures, questioned possible nondisclosure agreements and raised conflict‑of‑interest concerns.

The council’s motion to accept the abatement passed on a roll call after presentations from county financial advisers and the developer. Jason Sendler of Baker Tilly told the council that a roughly $250 million capital investment translates into substantially higher assessed value over time, but that a 10‑year, 75% abatement would reduce near‑term tax receipts; the company modeled a scenario in which an EDA payment tied to the abatement would provide $7,837,500 to the county over the agreement period.

Supporters, including local farmer Mark Townsend, argued the project would bring investment, construction jobs and immediate EDA dollars for local projects. “They’re willing to invest…