Dear editor,
Is this what a pocket veto looks like?
Mason County Joint Planning Commission’s Solar Timeline
May 1. 2019 – “Solar” first appeared on a JPC agenda
At day:
581 – Dec. 2, 2020 – A draft solar ordinance was created but not presented at this meeting.
735 – May 5, 2021 – on the JPC’s agenda – “Solar Energy Systems Process Discussion”
763 – June 2, 2021 – on the JPC’s agenda – “Solar Energy Systems Workshop”
797 – July 6, 2021 – JPC members visit Ohio solar installations
798 – July 7, 2021 – on the JPC’s agenda – “Solar Energy Systems Workshop”
826 – Aug. 4, 2021 – regular meeting, published agenda does not mention “solar”
854 – Sept. 1, 2021 – on the JPC’s agenda – “Solar Energy Systems Process Discussion”
889 – Oct. 6, 2021 – on the JPC’s agenda – “Solar Energy Systems Process Discussion”
917 – Nov. 3, 2021 – regular JPC meeting canceled
931 – Nov. 16, 2021 – “Proposed Solar Energy Systems Ordinance Text” Public Hearing
932 – Nov. 18, 2021 – “Proposed Solar Energy Systems Ordinance Text” Public Hearing
945 and 13 days after public hearings – Dec. 1, 2021 – regular JPC meeting canceled
980 and 48 days after public hearings – Jan. 5, 2022 – regular JPC meeting canceled
1008 and 76 days after public hearings – Feb. 2, 2022 – JPC will not have “Solar” on agenda (as per G. Larger, see below)
1036 and 104 days after public hearings – Mar. 2, 2022 – JPC will not have “Solar” on agenda
George Larger’s explanation (01/27/22 email to Bill Marshall) for solar absence on JPC agenda in coming months.
“It hasn’t been on the agenda this month and won’t be on the agenda next month because I haven’t had to opportunity to adequately prepare and organize the materials for the JPC its members need to make an informed decision on the issue, including a staff report, related research, and possible changes to the proposal; when given a choice of doing something fast or right, I usually choose the latter, since choosing both is almost never an option.”
There are two solutions to “insufficient resources”. 1) Reorganize existing resources to accomplish required deliverables. 2) Devote more resources to accomplish required deliverables. What is doomed to failure are leaders who only tell workers to “peddle faster”
The Maysville City Commission and the Mason County Fiscal Court chartered and now fund the JPC. These two entities are responsible for ensuring the JPC has resources and is organized to accomplish required deliverables.
If you find this delay due to lack of resources as concerning as I do, call and or talk to all the Maysville commissioners and Fiscal Court members you know. Please convince them that they need to ensure JPC has enough resources to complete the Solar regulation process. If you can, determine if individuals are attempting a “pocket veto” of solar. In other words, are they intentionally starving the JPC of resources needed to complete a solar ordinance? I hope you will use these conversations to gauge which elected officials and candidates are pro-solar and which are “anti”.
Mason County’s solar opportunity will only be open for a short time. Our advantage is due to the many long-distance electric transmission lines across our county. But, folks, sunlight falls everywhere! These continued delays in drafting an ordinance will drive solar developers to counties that have established reasonable conditions for solar. As solar projects elsewhere connect to transmission lines that pass-through Mason, our opportunity for solar to deliver ecological and financial benefits to our area will evaporate
Charles W (Bill) Marshall Walnut Grove Farm
Maysville