Shelby County board approves phase 3 engineering oversight for Foxglove wind project

The Shelby County Board on Sept. 10 approved contracting Hutchinson Engineering to provide phase‑3 construction oversight for the proposed Foxglove wind project, a move board members said is meant to protect roads, drainage and public safety while permitting proceeds.

Joe Cochran, a property owner near Tower Hill, told the board he wanted full transparency before the county moved forward: “Before the board votes, I would like to understand exactly what phase 3 includes, what it will cost, what deliverables the county will receive, who is paying for it, and where where phase 1 and phase or phase 2 scopes or reports.” John Harren, the county zoning administrator, told the meeting Foxglove is in a late pre‑permitting stage and that the road‑use agreement must be in place before full permitting can proceed. County staff and the highway commissioner emphasized that phase 3 refers to construction engineering and oversight, not design.

Board members and residents pressed for explicit protections and funding mechanisms: speakers said pre‑ and post‑construction road surveys, haul‑route studies, bridge and culvert analyses and escrowed funds or upfront fees should be required to ensure developers pay for any damage. The board discussed the risk that the county could become financially responsible if a developer later abandons a contract; officials characterized that risk as manageable if contract language ties costs to the developer and creates escrow or reimbursement requirements.

The motion to approve the phase‑3 scope of work and proceed with negotiating a road‑use agreement carried on a roll call (motion carries 16 ayes, 1 nay). The board and staff said further details — exact deliverables, specific cost estimates and whether costs will be guaranteed up front — will be addressed in the road‑use agreement and the forthcoming engineering contract documents.