Companies present solar panel information

Two large companies proposing to install solar panels across 3,000 acres in Roosevelt County presented information to the County Commission at its meeting on Tuesday.

Blackwater Solar, a company that develops solar farms in various parts of the U.S., and Orstead Americas, a global company that operates renewable energy farms, are working together to install solar panels on leased land, according to a presentation by Jamie Mears, a project manager with Orstead.

The project, which has yet to go through the county planning process, is to be located in the Texico School District, according to a presentation report by Orstead. The construction timeline is estimated to be 2025-2026, to become operational in 2026.

The facility would generate enough energy annually to power more than 56,600 homes.

Mears told the commissioners that Orstead is a Denmark-based company that has developed projects in the European and Asia Pacific regions. The U.S. footprint is comprised of wind and solar farms, on-shore and off-shore.

Mears said the company gives value back to the community in the form of property tax revenues to the county. It is active in the community chambers of commerce and provides some support to STEM education in the schools.

She said the project will provide 100 local construction jobs.

Neither Mears nor Orstead could be reached for an interview by The News.

Commission Chair Tina Dixon spoke against the project.

“I don’t like the project, I’ll tell you straight up,” Dixon said at the meeting. “We have too many projects taking land out of agricultural use.

“Without agriculture, you’re going to be cold, you’re going to be naked, you’re going to be hungry,” she said.

“It’s always the money,” she said, warning against giving up control of the land.

“It used to be so pretty — now all we see are these red flashing lights,” she said. “Solar farms take up so much land.”

Commissioner Dennis Lopez said: “I’m for it.”

In other business, the commission voted to ratify a contract previously signed to employ Annette Kirk as the new county manager.

Another item the commissioners debated was a motion by Commissioner Paul Grider to change the time of the commission meetings from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. The time was changed last year in hopes more residents would attend.

Dixon said the commission had previously voted to meet in the evenings for one year and then revisit the issue in January.

“We gave our word,” Dixon said. In a motion the commission stated it would “finish out the year” by meeting in the evenings.

“We only have two meetings [this year] left at night,” she said.

Commissioner Roy Lee Criswell said: “I’m not one to go back on my word.”

“It’s a big disappointment that we can’t even give our word for one year,” Criswell said.

“We’re here to work for them [the public], not for ourselves,” he said.

“Just to fit our own personal needs — I’m going to vote “No.”

Commissioner Rodney Savage said there is a problem across the country with public apathy for participation in government.

“We voted initially to give people a chance to participate,” Savage said.

“We haven’t seen a significant difference in attendance, so I am going to vote [in January] to change it back.

“But that’s our word,” he said. “I think we obligated ourselves to go for a year. Otherwise, I am ready to change back.”

“The best course of action would be for the proposer of the motion to withdraw it,” he said.

“Well, I can add one, two, three -- might as well retract it,” Grider said.

The motion was retracted.

Evening meetings are currently scheduled for the second meeting each month, when there is more than one meeting, said Mandi Park, Roosevelt County clerk. The first meeting in the month is set for 9 a.m.

The two remaining evening meetings this year are Oct. 22 and Dec. 17.