JP outlines plan to protect and inform county residents: Absentee JPs affect the vote

Justice of the Peace Harrie Farrow tried another approach in her opposition to a proposed wind turbine farm south of Green Forest.

At the April 16 meeting of the quorum court, Farrow sponsored a 10-page ordinance to require anyone planning a new industrial project to submit plans to the county. Since the ordinance was read by title only, Farrow began with an explanation of her ordinance. She said she had contacted the county’s attorneys, and she also sought legal advice from the Association of Arkansas Counties.

Farrow said her goal was to give the county necessary information without interfering with private property rights. The ordinance would affect projects on five acres or more, and Farrow said it would not affect commercial, residential, or agricultural projects. Industrial project managers would have to submit extensive information about their projects, including explicit plans and other site information.

The ordinance would not restrict what a company could do, Farrow said, but insisted, “We have to know what they’re doing.” The county would only review plans to ensure a company’s actions complied with their initial proposal. Farrow said the ordinance would not infringe on the county’s history of preserving property rights. All information collected would be available to the public.

The ordinance would allow a company to conduct exploratory site testing without going through the application process.

Under the ordinance, a company could incur fines by failing to submit documentation or by failing to comply with submitted plans.

JP Craig Hicks said he opposed legislation that might discourage a business from coming to Carroll County, and JP Jack Deaton disagreed. “People expect us to know what’s going on in the county,” he said. “This would at least educate us.”

In response to a question, Farrow said since the wind farm is not already in operation, it would have to comply with this ordinance. Hicks said this ordinance specifically targets that project.

Hicks and JP John Howerton voted against the ordinance. With four JPs absent, that left only five votes in favor, and six votes are needed to pass an ordinance. Farrow said she would bring the ordinance back in May, in the hopes of having an additional “yes” vote.

During the comments period at the end of the meeting, County Judge David Writer expressed his disappointment at the number of attempts to pass ordinances to stop the wind turbines from spinning. He called the recurring attempts to find a way to oppose the project “lawless,” and added, “We have a law to go by, and it’s very clear what it has to say about this.”

On a related question, JP Jerry King asked for a discussion about more stringent requirements for posting bonds to decommission wind turbines. King said he did not want to bring an ordinance on the subject if the other JPs seemed unlikely to pass it.

Hicks called it “government overreach” to interfere with contracts with landowners. He agreed that passing tougher standards for decommissioning would not stop the project but said the measure would not mollify those opposed to the wind turbine project. Dave Iadarola, representing Scout Clean Energy, said the company includes decommissioning procedures in every contract.

In other business:

• JPs authorized $43,000 for repairs to the Central Dispatch radio tower at the Detention Center. The tower was damaged by lightning last fall. Insurance will cover $41,000.
• The board members of the Inspiration Point Fire Protection District had been approved with terms that did not comply with requirements for staggered terms. A resolution confirmed new expiration dates for the five board members, who will continue thereafter with three-year terms.
• Jerl Swofford was reappointed as the quorum court’s representative on the Carroll County Equalization Board. He will serve another three-year term.
• A resolution confirmed the appointment of Patti Brondum to the board of The Bluffs at Jackson Cove Subordinate Service District. She will fill a vacancy, and her term will end in July of 2026.
• During public comments, Robert Anderson, owner of R&R Towing, was not allowed to repeat his complaints about being dropped from the sheriff’s rotating list of tow companies. Anderson complained that county patrol cars are driven home by some deputies living outside the county.
• Another commenter asked if the county had ever discussed hiring an animal control officer.
• Caroline Rogers continued to speak out against the wind turbines, and called for “protection from a big industrial project.” In reference to those who signed with Scout Clean Energy, she said, “I’m not faulting the leaseholders, they simply did not understand the nuisances” that would accompany the project.