More than a dozen communities members showed up to voice their concerns regarding a wind ordinance during this morning’s Morgan County Commissioners meeting.
The majority of those in attendance at today’s meeting were members of the group, “The Adhoc Citizens Committee for Property Rights,” which were represented mainly Morgan County resident Mike Woodyard. The main concern for Woodyard and the rest of the group deals with Morgan County’s Wind Energy Conservation System ordinance and the potential installation of wind turbines in certain areas of the county. Speaking to the Board of Commissioners, Woodyard requested that the County Commissioners place a six-month moratorium on the ordinance, citing that the Regional Planning Commission, which oversees these types of activities, has rarely met to discuss the ramifications of installing wind turbines in Morgan County.
Morgan County Board Chairman Brad Zeller and Commissioner Ginny Fanning listened as Woodyard and others laid out their concerns. Zeller then addressed the citizens. He explains the origins of this specific ordinance, which is nearly ten years old.
Zeller says that the County Board has yet to receive any project proposals for wind turbines and goes over some changes to the ordinance that the board is considering.
Zeller says that the proposed changes look to benefit Morgan County.
As for why Woodyard stated that he was unable to find hardly any record of meetings for the Regional Planning Commission, Zeller says that while he can’t answer for the planning commission, there simply hasn’t been many project proposals to meet and discuss.
Zeller also added towards the end of the Commissioners meeting that, if there were any concerned citizens that would like to speak with him or any of the other board members, that their doors were open. The Morgan County Commissioners can be reached by calling 217-245-4619.