Wind Turbines Could Spur Blackford Economy
1/15/2010
Courtesy of the Hartford City News Times
By Cynthia Payne
NT Editor/Publisher
newstimes@comcast.net
NT Editor/Publisher
newstimes@comcast.net
Published:
Friday, January 15, 2010 5:28 PM CST
Millions of dollars have been pumped into White County from the development of wind farms.
And Connie Neininger, executive director of White County Economic Development, traveled to Hartford City Wednesday to explain to Blackford County officials how that happened, the pitfalls and triumphs.
Blackford County Commissioner Bob O’Rourke had heard her present a workshop during a commissioners conference and asked her to come here when a company sent out letters for Blackford County farmers and land owners to attend a meeting about possible development in the northern part of the county.
“I think everyone who was there got a lot out of it. I learned that we need to be prepared if the wind farms should materialize in Blackford County, and that we can’t do it overnight.
“We need to get an ordinance in place. We can always amend it,” O’Rourke said.
Just as White County learned from mistakes made by earlier development of wind farms in Benton County, Blackford can learn from the process in both those counties, he noted.
Rob Cleveland, Neininger’s local counterpart, came away from the Wednesday meeting excited but cautious about the possibilities. “I thought it was a very productive meeting. We’re fortunate other communities have been successful in the past and are willing to share our knowledge.
“We don’t want to make any mistakes and we want to be prepared. It’s new to us.
“One of the things I took away from it is that we should not lock ourselves in right away but at the same time, when the time comes, we should make a decision that positively affects Blackford County and individuals,” Cleveland said.
The wind industry in White County created jobs and increased the tax base, both of which are Cleveland’s objectives.
“We need to do more research on the viability of wind farms in Blackford County,” he said.
Ike Huffman of Wesco, Markle, mailed letters to Blackford County residents, including public officials, in December inviting them to an informal landowner’s meeting at Montpelier Elementary School on Thursday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. According to the letter, the company is “very excited about the possibility of developing a wind farm in your county.”
See the rest of the story in the Friday, Jan. 15 print edition of the News Times
And Connie Neininger, executive director of White County Economic Development, traveled to Hartford City Wednesday to explain to Blackford County officials how that happened, the pitfalls and triumphs.
Blackford County Commissioner Bob O’Rourke had heard her present a workshop during a commissioners conference and asked her to come here when a company sent out letters for Blackford County farmers and land owners to attend a meeting about possible development in the northern part of the county.
“I think everyone who was there got a lot out of it. I learned that we need to be prepared if the wind farms should materialize in Blackford County, and that we can’t do it overnight.
“We need to get an ordinance in place. We can always amend it,” O’Rourke said.
Just as White County learned from mistakes made by earlier development of wind farms in Benton County, Blackford can learn from the process in both those counties, he noted.
Rob Cleveland, Neininger’s local counterpart, came away from the Wednesday meeting excited but cautious about the possibilities. “I thought it was a very productive meeting. We’re fortunate other communities have been successful in the past and are willing to share our knowledge.
“We don’t want to make any mistakes and we want to be prepared. It’s new to us.
“One of the things I took away from it is that we should not lock ourselves in right away but at the same time, when the time comes, we should make a decision that positively affects Blackford County and individuals,” Cleveland said.
The wind industry in White County created jobs and increased the tax base, both of which are Cleveland’s objectives.
“We need to do more research on the viability of wind farms in Blackford County,” he said.
Ike Huffman of Wesco, Markle, mailed letters to Blackford County residents, including public officials, in December inviting them to an informal landowner’s meeting at Montpelier Elementary School on Thursday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. According to the letter, the company is “very excited about the possibility of developing a wind farm in your county.”
See the rest of the story in the Friday, Jan. 15 print edition of the News Times
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