The rejection of the proposed Situla solar energy conditional use permit continued to reverberate for the Scotts Bluff County Board this week, as two Gering residents used the public comment period to criticize the commissioners who voted against approving the project.
Both Kim Bowman and Greg Brown, who spoke in favor of the permit at the public hearing earlier this month, aimed their criticism at Commissioners Charlie Knapper, Michael Blue and Russ Reisig, admonishing them for their decision and calling it a dereliction of duty.
Knapper was a specific target of criticism, with Bowman reading from a prepared statement calling Knapper’s comments during the public hearing on the CUP “unprofessional”. “Not only did the commissioners deny Situla the request for a conditional use permit, one of the commissioners verbally assaulted Mr. Scott Ickes, an executive with the development company. Talk about poor taste and disrespectful behavior,” said Bowman. “With this said, I’m calling tonight for the immediate resignation of Commissioner Knapper; if there’s no immediate resignation, I might suggest that all his constituents consider calling for an immediate recall.”
Knapper responded “Snowball’s chance”, then took to the podium for his own remarks, saying he initially supported the idea but more research into the nameplate capacity tax funds to be generated by the project made him change his mind. Among the impacts he discussed was Morrill Public Schools, which would lose state aid; the County, for which the estimated tax receipts would not cover repairs to Stegall Road, and the Kiowa Fire District, which was already looking at needing a new building estimated at $1.5 million for existing equipment, not counting what could be needed to fight a fire at the Situla battery storage facility if that were to occur.
“Overall, it would be a net negative on the taxpayer here, probably cost the Scotts Bluff County taxpayer more money than would be generated. The nameplate capacity tax was developed in the year 2002; it has not kept up with inflation, it has lost ground, and the nameplate capacity tax needs to be fixed by our legislature,” Knapper said.
Brown made the same call for Knapper’s resignation or recall as Bowman, however he also said the trio had spit in the face of progress, and went even further during an exchange that involved Reisig.
“You’re a socialist, socialist, socialist,” said Brown, pointing in turn at Blue, Reisig and Knapper, “because you put… you guys think you’re smarter than the free market system that could’ve came here and produced jobs. 450 jobs isn’t going to be a net benefit to our community when that build that?” which prompted Reisig to respond “No.”
Brown replied “Are you kidding me? No, why?”
Reisig said “Think about it.” Brown interjected “Think about what?”
Reisig replied “450 jobs for what, six months?” “Who cares if it’s six months,” said Brown, “who cares if it’s a year?”
“Where are you going to put them up?” replied Reisig, at which point Chair Ken Meyer stepped in and hammered down the gavel, trying to cool the increasingly heated exchange.
The comment period further evolved into an occasional shouting match involving several board members as Brown’s additional comments, occasionally laced with profanity, moved into several areas not directly related to the solar project.
Following rejection of the conditional use permit earlier in the month, it’s not clear if the Preston Trust and Dunlieh Energy will submit a new application for the project.
