Videos: Morven Solar denied @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06

After two hours of speakers in the Public Hearing, the Brooks County Commission this Monday denied the Special Exception for Morven Solar, 3:1:1.

Speakers, Decision: Morven Solar @ Brooks County Commission 2023-02-06

Commissioner Myra Exum, after saying that whatever the Commissioners did they would be wrong, moved to approve with conditions, but got no second.

Commissioner James Maxwell moved to approve, with a second by Willie Cody. They and Chair Patrick Folsom voted to deny. Myra Exum voted no on the motion to deny. Commissioner Lee Larko abstained.

Asked by the Chair later why he had abstained, Lee Larko said it was because of what he said in the Planning Commission meeting.

Which is puzzling, because all he said in the actual Public Hearing at the Planning Commission was, “I want to say I’m against. That’s all.” I don’t understand the difficulty of voting against if that was still his position, or voting for if further evidence or testimony had persuaded him, especially after he asked many questions in the County Commission Public Hearing.

If I heard her correctly, Sherry Davidson of SGRC, acting as staff for Brooks COunty, indicated that the six additional documents received that day from Pine Gate Renewables had alleviated all her concerns. I have copies of those documents and will publish them soon, along with the rest of the board packet. I will send another open records request for the road agreement only the county attorney had seen before that meeting.

Before Commissioner James Maxwell made the motion to deny, he had asked for extra time for former county agent Johnny Whiddon. Which is curious, because Whiddon presented no evidence for any of his extraordinary claims, other than that there is an aquifer recharge zone next to the Little River east of Morven. Solar panels are acutally made mostly out of glass, aluminum, copper, and silicon, not his scare materials of lead, arsenic, silver, and cadmium. I’m more concerned about cotton pesticides and fertilizers getting into the aquifer. More on that later.

Don’t be surprised if legal action ensues.

Below are links to each WWALS video of each speaker, followed by a WWALS video playlist. These videos cover the entire meeting, except for a few seconds lost to changing camera batteries or cycling off and on between speakers.