By Dennis Sharkey, Mound City News Editor

A public hearing to decide if public utility Ameren Electric can purchase a proposed wind farm in unincorporated Atchison County has been canceled because both sides have reached an agreement.

The public hearings were scheduled for three days last month but were canceled at the 11th hour when the agreement was filed. The Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), the agency who can approve the plan, was scheduled to meet on Wednesday, March 6, and could vote on the agreement then.

The wind farm, known as Brickyard Hill, a 157 megawatt farm, has been in the planning stages for some time but Ameren stepped in last October and filed a petition for a certificate of convenience and necessity (CCN) to purchase the wind farm once the construction was completed.

Atchison County and all three public school districts opposed the move and expressed that sentiment at a public hearing held in Rock Port, MO, in January.

State taxing laws are different for public utilities and if Ameren is allowed to purchase the wind farm it will have great negative consequences for Atchison County and the school districts where the wind farms are located. Currently wind farm taxes are assessed at the county level and most of the taxes stay within the county. If a wind farm is owned by a public utility those taxes are collected by the state and distributed statewide where that utility owns transmission lines.

For local school administrators like Rock Port R-2 Superintendent Ethan Sickels the purchase could be a big punch in the gut for his district. At the public hearing in January Sickels gave an emotional speech about the effects the change would have.

“We have kids that wake up every morning and look out their window and see windmills,” Sickels said at the public hearing in Rock Port. “It’s tough for me justifying the tax money going somewhere else when those kids can see those windmills when they come to school everyday.”

Many in northwest Missouri are following the case closely including Missouri Rep. Allen Andrews, R-Grant City, who has sponsored a bill that will change the tax law to keep windturbine farms locally assessed. Andrews’ bill has some steam which would bring some welcomed relief.

“Thankfully the bills have passed out of committee,” Sickels said in an e-mail response about the legislation. “That is still our hope, as it provides the school district much more money.”

Fairfax R-3 Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Burright has been active in the issue because it also affects his district. Burright said in an e-mail response that he cannot comment on the agreement yet; but did say the negotiations with Ameren have been helpful.

“Ameren has been very willing to negotiate and work with the county while we all seek a solution to ensuring the county and school districts benefit from their purchase,” Burright said.

Part of the agreement says Ameren will support the legislative efforts in this general assembly and the 101st assembly if it takes more than two years to get something passed.

The agreement also calls for annual payments to Atchison County if a legislative fix doesn’t occur. Approval of a bill that would keep local taxing authority over windturbines would void the agreement.

The annual payment is due on Dec. 31 of the following year the CCN is approved. The beginning payment would be $300,000 with each year after at a rate of 102 percent of the previous year. The agreement would run until the farm no longer operates.

Atchison County Clerk Susette Taylor was reached via e-mail but was out of the county and could not give any specifics about the agreement. Taylor said each school district would receive part of the  payment.

There are also responsibilities outlined in the agreement for Atchison County such as road maintenance and construction. If any roads or bridges are destroyed because of equipment that is over weight limits the county will be responsible for the cost of fixing the damage. Ameren will be responsible for the cost of any materials that are required to fix the damage.

Atchison County is also responsible for “priority” snow removal and deicing on roads that lead to windturbines. The Atchison County Sheriff’s Department will also provide “security and monitoring services,” to the wind farm.

There is also an educational requirement in the agreement. A wind technician training program will be established with the help of the local school districts, the county and the Atchison County Development Corporation to be offered by a college located in the county.