Board to seek outside counsel on solar project; residents voice concerns about Continental Divide planning and call for accountability

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners said it will retain third‑party counsel to review issues raised about the county's solar project and related questions at the July 14 meeting.

The chair announced the board’s intention to “enter into a third‑party agreement to review several items regarding the solar project and get outside counsel and opinions on a lot of the issues” that have been raised in recent weeks; he said the board will report back when the outside review is complete.

Public comment that followed was lengthy. Derek Dieter, who identified himself as a county surveyor, criticized the Continental Divide planning effort and said the county and city had not adequately informed landowners. Dieter told commissioners the county had paid $48,000 in 2021 and that a total of $315,636.08 had been paid from the Carlisle TIF area and that recipients of roughly $600,000 were now trying to reclaim or reassign funds tied to a broader $40 million project. “If not, you should do it. It’s more of a brochure than a plan,” Dieter said, urging commissioners to review the Continental Divide report and asking what the county was doing with Portage Manor.

Dan Caruso of New Carlisle echoed the concern that landowners were not consulted before legislation and planning progressed and urged the county to solicit landowner input before advancing projects that could cross private property. A board member also noted Representative Teschka’s stated concern about any possibility of eminent domain being used for recreational projects.

In a separate public comment, Tianna Battiste Waddell asked the county to formally acknowledge and apologize for a documented history of housing discrimination against Black residents, and to commit to reviewing how historical inequities continue to affect residents and to identify concrete steps toward equity and restoration. “An apology will not erase the harm, but it is an important step toward recognizing the truth and demonstrating a commitment to accountability,” she said.

The meeting also tabled an internship agreement with Matthias Webb for the public defender’s office after a commissioner objected that the internship had already started on June 9 without timely notice to the board; the motion to table passed. Commissioners said they will await the outside counsel review and staff follow‑up on solar concerns and other public comments.

Why this matters: Announcing outside counsel signals the board intends to seek independent legal opinions on the solar project and related governance questions. Multiple public commenters urged greater transparency and landowner outreach on planning and redevelopment efforts and called for accountability on historic discrimination.

The board adjourned after public comment.