The Pulaski County Council and Commissioners met in joint session Monday night to discuss the proposed Mammoth Solar project.
A resolution was considered by the commissioners which would authorize the commissioners to execute the Economic Development Agreement as County Attorney Kevin Tankersley finds it acceptable. The agreement is not quite finalized, but it will address the cost benefits of doing business in Pulaski County, return on investments, and what advantages their development will bring financially through the county. That resolution was approved by Commission President Chuck Mellon and Commissioner Mike McClure. Commissioner Maurice Loehmer abstained from the vote and discussion.
The Pulaski County Council held a public hearing concerning the areas designated as Economic Revitalization Areas for purposes of tax abatement. The project will include the installation of solar panels on several thousand acres of agricultural land in Rich Grove, Jefferson, Franklin, Monroe, and Beaver Townships with a $1 billion investment in Pulaski County.
The utility property abatement would be for 20 years which would result in an estimated property tax savings of over $40 million, but Mammoth Solar would provide $34.6 million in minimum Economic Development payments to the county over a 20-year period.
The project would also lower property taxes as a result of proposed increased assessed valuation of property.
All supporting documents can be found below. Many of the scenarios given are if the project were to be online in 2022, but that may not be the case.
Pulaski County Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer commented that the project could see a decline in jobs and wages in the county as a negative impact.
Over 20 people spoke where four people were in support of the tax abatement. Other residents spoke out about the farmland proposed for the project as they say it does not meet the guidelines of a tax abatement of this kind. They also cited aesthetics of the project, the problems it has created between landowners and fellow members in the community, the history of agriculture in Pulaski County, the devaluation of homes, environmental concerns, and the effect on taxes.
After more than two hours of information presented, including public comment, the Pulaski County Council members agreed, by a majority vote, to delay a decision on the Economic Revitalization Area resolution until their January 10 meeting so they have time to dissect all of the financial information presented by Baker Tilly, the impact analysis conducted by Impact DataSource, LLC and public comment given during the public hearing. Council members Ken Boswell, Adam Loehmer, Tim Overmyer, Brian Young, and Rudy DeSabatine voted in favor of the motion, while Kathi Thompson and Mike Tiede opposed the motion.
The council did unanimously vote to approve a resolution that moves a public hearing and final determination of an ERA designation for the Moss Creek Solar project to the next council meeting on January 10.
