Kris Miller
Hiawatha World
The Brown County commissioners unanimously voted to adopt a zoning regulation that would prohibit the development of commercial wind projects in unincorporated areas of the county, with the exception of land within three miles of Hiawatha, Horton and Sabetha.
Back during a special meeting on Jan 10., the Brown County Planning Commission recommended adopting the zoning regulation regarding wind energy development. It was mentioned during Monday’s meeting that correspondence was received from Hiawatha and Horton; Sabetha had not reached out but it was still included in the regulation.
Close to the end of the meeting, Commissioner Lucas Heinen requested that the Planning Commission look into regulations for industrial solar farms.
Earlier during the meeting, the commissioners first met with Brown County Treasurer Betty J. Spiker regarding signing paperwork closing out a microloan for the Kansas Department of Commerce that ran through the Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Development. Spiker remarked that some companies involved did not make their paybacks, leaving the program short of money. She included that the total microloan was $100,000, with the county paying back $93,368.84, leaving the program short of $6,631.16. She said the State of Kansas has not said anything about this matter and found one hand-written note that in the HFED files that stated that $100,000 needed to be paid back; Spiker added that one company closed out and sold everything, which ended up leaving the bank they sold to short, with no money to pay the county back. She also added her file regarding these payments were incomplete. Brown County Attorney Kevin Hill requested that the information be brought to his office.
Below are other items of discussion:
• Buried Cable Permit 25-01 for Kickapoo Tribe was approved by all three commissioners.
• On the subject of Rex Lockwood’s buried cable permit request, the direction was supposed to be in the east, not the west; Heinen stated he would contact Lockwood later.
• All commissioners approved the cemetery and township reports.
