The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Monday in regular session.

The Board held a public hearing for the code of ordinances to be re-codified. There was one concern brought up by Mary Ellen Holz regarding language in the newly created utility-scale solar energy ordinance. She stated that the Board’s intention is not valid when it comes to keeping solar panel projects separated by a two mile radius. The current language allows for a company to be issued a conditional use permit to build up to 1,000 acres for a single project. If the original project doesn’t meet that 1,000 acre limit, then that company can be issued another permit to do so.

However, the current ordinance language also allows if that same company wants to build another solar panel project, that project can encroach on the two mile separation between projects. Board Chair John Muir agreed that their intention is to not let that happen and a substantive change must be made to the ordinance. Following the public hearing, the Board set another hearing for October 10th at 9am and will consider the first reading of the amended ordinance, while also considering the county’s code of ordinances for re-codification.

The Board also approved the retirement of Jay Tasler for his 28 years of service in the secondary roads department, hiring Robert Newby as a full time jailer with the sheriff’s office with a $38,000 salary and a $1,000 per year increase once he is certified. They also approved transferring $615,807 from rural, $162,500 from local option sales and services tax, and $55,729 from the general fund to secondary roads as part of the apportionment of September taxes. Additionally, the Board approved a request from NEW Cooperative to install one 45,000 gallon ammonia tank on their new property east of Churdan.