Clinton County Fiscal Court held a special called meeting last Tuesday afternoon with five of six magistrates present.
The meeting, which was scheduled to be held in the judge’s office conference room, was moved to the upstairs courtroom due to the high volume of spectators in attendance.
The solar panel system ordinance was the last of only a few items of business on the special meeting agenda, which apparently had led many to believe some type of vote would be taken on the now controversial ordinance.
However, with all other items of business being voted on, Judge/Executive Ricky Craig simply announced that “no changes would be made to the ordinance (as approved).”
No public comments were accepted prior to the motion being adjourned following the judge’s brief statement.
The judge did note that the item on the agenda did not specify that any type of vote would be taken at last week’s meeting.
Following the announcement that no changes to the document would be made, a motion to adjourned was made, voted on and passed unanimously.
After the meeting was adjourned, some of the people opposed to the solar panel project planned for the Duvall Valley mountain area vowed to be back, and one announced audibly the next regular fiscal court meeting date.
During the fiscal court’s most recent regular meeting in June, a resident had read from a prepared statement, asking that a change be made to the ordinance.
Joyce Irwin had asked the court that the document “be amended to state that no solar company be allowed to install any solar panels in our county which contains the toxic metal Calcium Telluride, which is defined by the EPA and OSHA as a toxic metal.”
Over 50 people attended that meeting, mostly those being opposed to the project, with many voicing their concerns and asking questions of Energix Renewable officials, the company that is planning to place the panels on privately owned property.
The fiscal court agreed to review the ordinance further after the June meeting.
Apparently the primary opposition to the SES (Solar Energy Systems) ordinance began only recently, mostly after the company held a town hall type meeting explaining how the solar panel systems operate.
The project actually began about a year ago when plans were first presented to the court, and involves 833 privately owned acres of property on the mountain at Duvall Valley owned by local businessman Tony Sloan.
The ordinance itself was approved back in October of 2023, and was drawn up in part by Clinton County Attorney Michael Rains with input from various state and federal officials.
The ordinance, which has been approved at both the state and federal levels, includes regulations and guidelines put in place by various agencies that have oversight on SES.
Under Section I, the lengthy ordinance states, “The purpose of this ordinance is to facilitate the siting, development, construction, installation, and decommissioning of solar energy systems (SESs) in Clinton County, Kentucky in a predictable manner that promotes and protects the safety, health, and welfare of the community and reduce other environmental impacts. The appropriate siting of a Solar Energy System (SES) avoids to the extent possible, and mitigates any adverse impacts to wildlife, productive and nationally important agricultural lands, forests, endangered species habitat, and historic, natural, and other sensitive lands. The appropriate siting of SESs also establishes standards and requirements to assure that the use and enjoyment of lands located adjacent to and in the proximity of SESs are fully protected. The requirements of this Ordinance are intended to be supplemental to any safety, health, or environmental requirements of federal, state, or local laws, and regulations.”
(A full copy of the Ordinance is available for public inspection at the Clinton County Judge/Executive’s Office during normal business hours.)
In other business at last week’s meeting, the court:
* Approved six cash transfers, all on separate motions, with five of the six being from the Occupational Fund.
Motions were approved to transfer $15,000 to the jail checking account; $110,000 to the ambulance checking account; $40,000 to the general checking account; $2,500 to the 911 checking account; and, $2,500 to the DES checking account from the Occupational Fund–all end of the fiscal year transfers.
A motion was made   and approved to transfer $42,664.09 from the federal CARES Act to the ambulance account. That transfer, along with aforementioned funds from the above transfer to the ambulance account, is for the second new ambulance purchase.
* On a motion by Magistrate Terry Buster, the court voted to close out the federal CARES account, which was relief money the county had received as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
* On a motion by Magistrate Jason Pitman, the court approved payment of claims and bills.
* On a motion by Magistrate Mickey Riddle, the court unanimously approved the purchase of the new ambulance, which is the second within the past couple of months and was due to arrive this week.
Emergency Management Director Lucas Abner said this would be the fourth new ambulance purchased in the past few years, bringing the total fleet to six trucks.
* The court, on a motion by Buster, also approved opening a USDA bank account for grant funds that will be used to purchase new sheriff’s department laptop terminals, safety vests and other equipment for the sheriff’s department.
The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court will be held Thursday, July 18, at 5 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and is open to the public.