Commissioners OK courthouse contracts; Barr Energy project application submitted to PUCO
Pictured, from left, are Highland County commissioners David Daniels, Terry Britton and Brad Roades. (HCP Photo/Caitlin Forsha)
Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades made two approvals related to planned Highland County Courthouse renovations during a four-minute meeting Wednesday, Sept. 9.
The meeting was held an hour earlier than usual, at 8 a.m., due to a Rural Small Business Forum, held in partnership with USDA Rural Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration, taking place at 9 a.m. at the Highland County Fair.
Commissioners voted 3-0 to execute a notice of award to Midwest Maintenance, Inc. for Highland County Courthouse exterior renovations. In a separate motion, commissioners approved the contract with Midwest Maintenance, Inc. The total contract amount for the project is $1,880,000.
As previously reported, commissioners voted Aug. 26 to award the project, including the $1,850,000 base bid with an alternate bid for column lighting. At that meeting, Britton said exterior renovations to the courthouse, particularly the front/main entrance, would be “starting fairly soon.”
In other renovation discussions, Roades asked that commissioners consider taking action on Hi-TEC renovations “as quick as possible” in order “to ease the mind of the public of what's happening.”
As previously reported, commissioners engaged in a heated discussion with Highland County Veterans Service Director/Officer Tim Hazelwood over proposed changes to the Hi-TEC building during commissioners’ Sept. 2 meeting. Commissioners are reviewing designs for a possible “reconfiguration” for additional space for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Veterans Service offices.
Also approved were:
• A request from the Records Center to declare items no longer needed by the County and obsolete per ORC 307.12(B)(1).
• A request for a budget modification within the County General Fund, Utilities and Contributions to Contracts & Services, in the amount of $6,000.
• A budget modification within the Engineer’s Budget in the amount of $59,000.
• A resolution to authorize a “then and now” purchase order and to authorize the county auditor to issue warrants for payment.
Although not discussed during the meeting, it was listed under correspondence that commissioners received notice of Barr Energy’s application “for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the Barr Energy Center,” which was filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio on Sept. 4.
As previously reported, the up to 200MW Barr Energy project being proposed will encompass approximately 35 acres on Mad River Road in New Market Township, near state Route 138. If approved, this would be NextEra Energy Resources’ first battery storage facility in Ohio, as they already own and operate 50 sites across the U.S. and Canada, according to their website. Developers, as well as concerned citizens, have discussed the project with commissioners in recent months.
The 171-page public application, which includes numerous exhibits, outlines the purpose and scope of the project; a summary and detailed description of the project; information on the proposed project schedule, area selection, site design and electric grid interconnection; economic impact and public interaction; compliance with air, water, solid waste and aviation regulations; and health and safety, land use and ecological information.
According to the application, if approved, the project is slated to begin construction in late 2028 “with an expected date of operation in the third to fourth quarter of 2030.”
Regarding its economic impact, the application says the proposed facility “will present numerous positive impacts on the local economy, both for the areas around New Market Township and Hillsboro. Lease payments, short- and long-term job creation, tax and payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) revenues will benefit private landowners, Project employees, businesses and taxing jurisdictions.
“It is anticipated that construction of the proposed Project could generate an estimated 149 total jobs including 108 direct jobs, one indirect job, and 41 induced jobs with $16,080,273 in labor income at the state level,” the application says. “At the local level, the Project is expected to support 37 total jobs within Highland County, including 27 direct jobs and 10 induced jobs during construction.
“Lastly, the Project will increase local government revenues. Based on current tax year rates and applicable taxing jurisdictions, the Project is expected to contribute approximately $773,114 in annual tax revenue through public utility tangible personal property taxes and real property taxes. The Applicant may also consider participation in Ohio's PILOT program, which would provide an alternative mechanism for distributing Project-related revenue to local jurisdictions and schools.”
The application can be viewed at https://dis.puc.state.oh.us/ViewImage.aspx?CMID=A1001001A26I04B40046H03…. To view the exhibits and other documents for the project, the project’s PUCO case number is 26-0498-EL-BGN.
Comment
Barr Energy: What Will Highland County Actually Get?
The recent article concerning the proposed Barr Energy Storage project reports projected economic benefits associated with the project, including construction employment, economic activity and local tax revenue.
Those numbers deserve a closer look.
A projection is not a result. A temporary construction job is not the same thing as permanent local employment, and projected tax revenue is not the same thing as guaranteed revenue actually received over time.
Comparable NextEra battery-storage projects show why the distinction matters.
At NextEra's proposed Emmons-Logan Energy Storage project in North Dakota, the company has estimated about 150 short-term construction jobs, but only one to three full-time operational jobs after construction. NextEra has also projected about $7.2 million in property taxes over 25 years, but county officials questioned how that figure was calculated because that state's battery-storage tax treatment was not yet firmly established.
In Michigan, NextEra's recently opened 200-megawatt Century Oaks Energy Center reportedly created more than 300 construction jobs and represents an investment exceeding $279 million. NextEra also projects about $34.9 million in tax revenue over 30 years. Yet its public announcement does not identify how many permanent full-time jobs remain after construction. The project only began operating in 2026, so that long-term tax figure remains a projection rather than a demonstrated result. Local officials have also noted that the taxable battery equipment will depreciate over time, which can affect future tax revenue
That is worth noting.
Large construction-job numbers sound impressive, but what matters to a community over the long term is how many permanent jobs remain after the construction crews leave and how much projected tax revenue actually materializes.
Highland County residents should know how many projected Barr jobs would actually be on-site, how many would be filled by local residents, and how many permanent positions would remain after construction.
They should also know how much of the projected tax revenue is guaranteed and how much depends on property valuation, depreciation, tax treatment or a possible PILOT agreement.
These are not hostile questions. They are basic due diligence.
The question is not whether a project can produce economic benefits. The question is what Highland County will actually receive after the projections become reality.
If comparable NextEra projects have produced strong long-term results, show us those results.
Promises are easy to make. Results are what matter.
good reporting
It's incredible to me to look at the press article of the commissioners meeting alongside any other article. The press always tells the whole story.
Long Term Benefits To PJM
Rate Arbitrage allows a homeowner like me to buy batteries and buy power when it is cheap. Don't need solar panels. I use power as needed. I sell back at higher price. Buying a generator that automatically kicks in is expensive. Plus HOA will not approve facing neighbors bedroom window. Extend natural gas line 50 feet an additional cost. Buy battery storage capacity of say 5 days. Buy and sell electricity as passive income. Highland County permanent jobs will be minimal. And I doubt if many Highland County construction trades are used. Like the industrial solar installs, many of the construction workers were from other Ohio cities. Highland County should go for the increased tax revenues. Next up you will see me promoting AI and data centers. Because they can't be stopped. In discussion now to help produce webinars with a long time friend. Capitalism for me. Freedom of choice to pursue economic opportunities.
Scorch Raises Valid Issues
I just don't know who will answer Scorch's questions.
In theory the County Commissioners in conjunction with the County Auditor.
Response to the request from commissioner Roades
I am curious what the response was from commissioners Daniels and Britton in regard to commissioner Roades' comment.
In other renovation discussions, Roades asked that commissioners consider taking action on Hi-TEC renovations “as quick as possible” in order “to ease the mind of the public of what's happening.”
Nothing else was mentioned and it just leaves the citizens of the county still wondering.
••••Publisher's note: Commissioners are always welcome to weigh in. (But I wouldn't hold my breath.)
Concerned Veteran
Concerned Veteran. Thank you for your service. Since 2012 when I began closely following Highland County issues, you will not get a reply. Publisher is spot on.
Submit a letter and it will be noted in the weekly agenda. Will you get a specific reply? Unlikely.
You could ask to speak at a weekly meeting. I have spoken to Mr. Roades at the Barr Battery Storage Facility presentation held recently at Southern State.
Still gathering information about a November 2021 resolution he referred me to. I may or may not publish my analysis of said resolution. What ever happens at the Hi-Tec center is really of no concern to me. Leave that to Steph Roland to opine. And concerned veterans.
Approve The Barr Project
The PJM grid needs anyand all power that can be added. The additional tax revenue is beneficial to the county. Approve the project. My approval has been sent to PUCO.