The Pulaski County Commissioners took action Monday morning to approve a compliance monitoring contract with VS Engineering.
The goal was to have an experienced company oversee compliance of Economic Development Agreements, Road Use Agreements, drainage agreements, and work with department heads and the public concerning construction on four upcoming solar projects in Pulaski County. Those large projects include the Mammoth project by Doral Renewables, the Moss Creek project by NextEra, Bottlebrush project by Invenergy, and the May Apple project by Lightsource bp.
The company will ensure that the solar companies and the county are saying what they will be doing when the projects commence. They will be listening to public concerns and taking those concerns to necessary committees for solutions.
County Attorney Kevin Tankersley explained that no county funding will be used to pay for the compliance monitoring contract. The solar companies have all signed agreements that they will be paying the contract for VS Engineering to conduct the compliance reports. VS Engineering will be providing monthly reports to the commissioners once those projects get started, presumably in early 2025 and in 2026.
VS Engineering currently oversees solar projects in Jasper County and completes this type of work on other projects in surrounding counties and will work in concert with BF&S who works with the building department.
Incoming Commissioner Jenny Knebel asked how this company was chosen. Commissioner Chuck Mellon suggested getting a company to oversee the projects and found a company who was doing this work in several counties. She asked about putting this proposal out to bid as the county should have the best company possible to do this work as it impacts thousands of acres and a lot of landowners. She said the building department was not consulted. Tankersley said the county did not need to seek bids for services like this but it was suggested that the county seek an administrative involvement and work with BF&S in the process.
In the end, the commissioners unanimously approved the contract with VS Engineering.
The commissioners also approved the decommissioning agreement with the Bottlebrush project, and acknowledged a letter of credit for the May Apple project for the decommissioning agreement.
