Solar project voted down for Billtown park

By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post

WILLIAMSFIELD – After three months of impassioned speeches and heated words, cold, hard facts spelled an end to a proposed 20-acre solar array next to Benjamin-Doubet Park.
The Williamsfield Village Board heard Monday at its monthly meeting that petitions circulated in Williamsfield against the solar array generated 359 signatures from people age 18 or older. Those signatures constitute 96 percent of the village’s 371 registered voters, said Kyle Gibbs, one of several residents who gathered signatures.

“The results were very overwhelming,” Gibbs told the village board. “Do what you said you would do last month. Ask for a motion to drop the proposal.”

Trustee Stu Hickerson did just that and, moments later, the board unanimously rejected a solar proposal from Bow Renewables. The vote elicited a round of applause from most in the crowd of nearly 20.

At issue for several members of the general public who spoke Monday was honoring the wishes of the late Verla Scheeler, who in the late 1980s bequeathed 65 acres to the village with various stipulations. According to research by Williamsfield resident Rick Smith, Scheeler’s will stated that park land was to make up 50 acres of her donation and 15 acres was to be subdivided for homes.

“You are ethically obligated to abide by it,” said Lee Ballard, 77, a Williamsfield resident and Caterpillar Inc. retiree. “If you don’t abide by it, can we trust you? Don’t let that piece of ground be your 30 pieces of silver.”

Another speaker, Mark Ebner, reminded the board, “You serve at the will of the people.”

After the board vote, talk turned quickly to what to do with the 20 acres of Scheeler’s donation that has not been developed or turned into park. The land is currently leased for farming through harvest.

Williamsfield Agriculture Teacher Kent Rigg discussed a proposal he submitted two years ago for a Williamsfield FFA Farm on the property, which is within walking distance of the school.

Under the plan, the school district would rent the land from the village. Williamsfield students would then operate and manage the farm in a hands-on teaching environment that would allow them to apply classroom learning to the real world.

Williamsfield FFA alumni members would provide access to resources, equipment and working capital. Any profits could fund FFA Alumni scholarships for graduating seniors and for students attending FFA events.

Williamsfield resident Smith, who led the charge against the solar array, offered another option. Smith proposes an apple orchard that could generate lease income for the village as well as income from the sale of apples and apple products for a 501(c)(3) managing the orchard – possibly the Williamsfield Parks Association.

Smith said the orchard could be planted on 5-10 acres of the property, leaving room for the FFA farm.

In other business, the board had preliminary discussion of a Fiscal Year 2025 budget that shows $421,050 in spending and a deficit of $60,880.

“It’s a deficit budget,” Village President Robert Johnson said, noting that the village would still have a surplus of $87,098.57 if the entire budget was spent.

“But it’s just permission to spend the money. It doesn’t mean we have to spend it,” he said.

Johnson said the budget will be discussed again at a special meeting on April 29 at 7 p.m., after which the board will vote on approval. He said anyone who wants a copy of the budget between now and the hearing can get one from the village clerk.

Another subject to be brought up in the future is a proposed storm-water improvement report submitted March 14 by Bruner, Cooper & Zuck, Inc. of Galesburg. Currently, during heavy storms parts of the village experience flooding issues. The report identifies three main areas that could be improved for an estimated $1.5 million.

“We don’t have the money for that right now,” Trustee Nancy Everett said. “We’ll have to do it piecemeal.”

Everett and Johnson said the village can use money from its Motor Fuel Tax fund and employ village labor to handle some work.

Johnson said because the median income in Williamsfield is $75,000, the village is not eligible for grants for the project, just low-interest loans.

In other business, the board:
• Heard a proposal from resident Patricia Smith for a dog park.
• Approved buying a new laptop computer for under $1,000 for Village Clerk Tori Courson.
• Approved rolling over three CDs (two for the Village General Fund and one for Doubet-Benjamin Park) for a 13-month, 4.61% rate at Integrity Community Bank.
• Set June 3 to open sealed bids for the sale of two empty lots in the Cottonwood Court residential development.
• Approved spending up to $2,000 to address health and safety shortcomings at the village water treatment plant.
• Heard that a paint and electronic recycling collection for Knox County residents will be April 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the village’s new shed, located at the corner of North Oak Street and Lion’s Drive.