FAIRFIELD – The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors has begun deliberations on a wind energy ordinance, which drew a large crowd to Monday’s meeting, Aug. 5.

The discussion featured local residents speaking in opposition to wind mills, along with a couple of wind energy representatives who touted its benefits. Those in attendance debated the appropriate setbacks from cities and occupied structures, and some people argued that whatever positives come from wind farms don’t go to those who live next to them.

The supervisors voted to hold a second public hearing on the proposed ordinance in three weeks at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26.

When the supervisors started their discussion of the wind energy ordinance Monday morning, people filed into the meeting room and waited their turn to speak. Two representatives from Indigo Energy, a division of Apex Clean Energy, spoke in support of windmills and how they benefit the communities they’re in by paying property taxes. However, everyone else who spoke at the meeting was either against the county hosting wind farms or at least wanted the county to maintain strict setbacks.

Adrian Dickey, a resident of Packwood who also represents District 44 in the Iowa Senate, said the people in New Sharon “hate” the windmills that have been installed there, and that they’ve said that allowing them was the “worst decision they ever made.”

“Not only because of the issues and the eye sore, but where it’s really rubbing salt in the wound is that in Mahaska County, the property tax revenue from these windmills is spread throughout the county,” Dickey said, “but the ones really impacted by it are much less financially incentivized from it. As a Packwood resident, and from where I see where these windmills are, most of them are lying in the Packwood area, I’m absolutely against it.”

Several other residents also expressed opposition. Julie Greeson said that, while she was campaigning to be a supervisor in the primary race earlier this year, she didn’t talk to a single person who supported wind farms in the county. She also doubted whether the local fire departments even had the equipment to extinguish a fire on a wind turbine.

Packwood resident Julie Johnston said she was against wind turbines in the county because they are an “eyesore and a health hazard.” Supervisor Dee Sandquist said the supervisors are just in the process of writing an ordinance to govern wind turbines, and still gathering input from the public. Supervisor Lee Dimmitt added that, without an ordinance on the books, the county government would have no control over a potential wind farm.

“Once an ordinance is in place, we can also implement a moratorium, such as on permits,” Dimmitt said.

Amanda Vittetoe Adam asked if the proposed ordinance contained language about what happens to the wind turbines when they reach the end of their life. Dimmitt said yes, the ordinance contains language about decommissioning a wind turbine, and it also prohibits a company from having a “graveyard” of old wild turbines in the county.

Troy Adam was skeptical of wind farms as well, saying that 10 out of 11 farmers he’s met who agreed to host wind turbines regret their decision. He mentioned that the wind turbines interfere with GPS tracking, which is important for modern farm equipment.

A couple of wind energy representatives spoke later in the meeting about the upside of wind energy. Corey Eberling and Jared Hershberger, both members of Apex Clean Energy, responded to some of the comments critical of wind farms. Eberling said that a 200 megawatt wind farm could expect to generate $900,000 for the school district it’s in, so local taxpayers should expect to see a benefit from wind farms. He said it would benefit county governments, extension offices and townships.

Eberling said the proposed ordinance that calls for a 2,600-foot setback from occupied structures is “unbuildable.” He asked the supervisors to adopt a more “reasonable” setback of 1,500 feet.

Dickey responded to Eberling’s comments about the local benefits of wind farms, saying that he wasn’t referring to the county as a whole benefitting but specifically to the people who have to live next to the wind turbines.

“If these were being put in Packwood, Iowa, I don’t think someone in southeast Jefferson County should see the tax benefits if these are the people who are going to have to look at it,” Dickey said.

Hershberger said he understood that some people view wind farms as a “burden,” but he also wants them to see wind energy as an opportunity. He said wind energy is a great way to revitalize small towns by injecting much-needed investment. He reiterated Eberling’s comments that the proposed ordinance setback requirement of 2,600 feet made wind farms “unbuildable.” He

“I’m willing to sit down with any of you guys and come to a more reasonable compromise,” Hershberger said.