The Starke County Council discussed an ordinance involving a fund for solar revenue and expenditures during their meeting last week.
The Starke County Commissioners had already approved the use of the fund as well as the proposed ordinance during a previous meeting this month. During that meeting, Starke County Attorney Justin Schramm stated an ordinance to create a fund had already been set up previously by the county for the receipt of solar expense funds. As reported in July of 2023, that established a fund in effort to pay various professional services. At that time, businesses that were providing engineering, survey and attorney services were billing solar companies directly. The fund established in July of 2023 kept all transactions more transparent between the county, professional service providers and solar companies. The county was then able to pay professional service providers from the fund that solar companies will use to pay Starke County with, instead of having solar companies pay for professional services directly.
During last weeks council meeting, council member Tony Black made a motion to approve the ordinance to establish a fund for the expenditure of solar revenue for economic development. That motion was seconded by council member Howard Bailey and passed unanimously by vote. It was noted, with this ordinance being approved, money that is expected to be received from solar companies will now go to this fund and be available for the county to use toward economic development.
