Supervisors will host wind energy town halls

MT. PLEASANT — Following a recent uptick in interest concerning a potential wind farm coming to the northern part of Henry County, the Henry County Board of Supervisors scheduled a town hall meeting with representatives of an interested renewable energy company.

During the supervisor’s Jan. 30 meeting in which a large crowd attempted to fit into the supervisor’s small meeting room, RWE Renewables representative Wind Development Manager Matthew Spaccapaniccia offered to address concerns brought by the public.

“I know you guys had a great idea of doing a town hall in October of 2022,” RWE Outreach Manager Julie Drennen said during the meeting. “We would gladly do another town hall. So, if we want to have a Q&A, we're open to that for sure.”

In an attempt to keep the meeting on topic, however, the supervisors tried to keep the discussion to the proposed adjustments to the renewable energy ordinances on the agenda, because the county does not have any official application for a wind farm, at this time.

In their next meeting, Feb. 1, though, the supervisors opted to schedule town hall meetings to allow the public to ask questions, state concerns, and gain additional information in a more appropriate setting.

The supervisors will host town halls at Wayland Community Building on Tuesday, Feb. 13 and the Swedesburg Parish Hall Thursday, Feb. 15 both at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend either town hall with the supervisors and representatives from RWE.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com