As the new school year is starting and teachers are leaving Jefferson County to teach in Maryland and Virginia, money is needed for the school system. Once again, Jefferson County will have to hire or retain teachers and support staff. Where or how is the money going to be obtained? Will the money be pulled from a different area/budget? Will classroom size increase because teachers are leaving for better pay? What school programs will be cut or have funds reduced? How many times will the Commissioners have to decline monetary support for departmental needs because money is needed for educators?

Our family has explained a few of the West Virginia tax breaks such as the Freeport Amendment, value-based (ad valorem) and nameplate capacity tax.

We have received inquiries about the PILOT, based on comments from a foundation that is claiming they are for renewable farming, but are not within the agricultural community or familiar with agrivoltaics. Nor are they quoting the correct tax code.

Wild Hill is utilizing §8-19-4, Article 19 for Municipal and County Waterworks and Electric Power Systems. This information can be accessed using https://code.wvlegislature.gov/8-19-4/.

As you read the code it is important to note the lease payments to the farmers for the land rights is different than the lease payments made to the county for the PILOT. West Virginia code 8-19-4, the statute requires county or municipality ownership of the facility to grant tax exemption. The county is the lessor, and Wild Hill is the lessee, hence Wild Hill is making lease payments to the county. Please do not confuse this tax code with a buy back agreement. Our family is not relinquishing any part of ownership.

The PILOT as proposed, provides a one-time capital contribution to the Jefferson County School system in the amount of $250,000. During the first year of the program, Wild Hill will also pay $200,000.00 for the PILOT and $400,000 for the lease, in addition to what the county already receives for real property taxes. Compare this figure to the property tax paid by the farmers in the sum of $13,367.03. This is additional revenue in the amount of $850,000.

Our county would receive an annual payment with two components. A PILOT payment of $200,000 that will increase at 2.5 percent yearly, which, based on property tax distributions, $154,000 is estimated to go to Jefferson County Schools and the remaining $46,000 to Jefferson County. A lease payment of $400,000 per year goes to Jefferson County Commission. This provides our county with a steady income. Which do you prefer, the property tax paid by the Farmers or the PILOT duration for a calculated total of $29,776,844.

In this time of businesses closing (McDonalds, Macy’s, Applebee’s, Red Lobster, CVS, Walgreens and the list increases by the week) and inflation, isn’t it better to have a steady income stream to help offset tax increases?

Please keep in mind, we can farm because the panels do not cover 100 percent of our fields. Solar panels do not drive, attend school, flush toilets, use a dishwasher or fill a pool. After their stay, they can leave at the PILOT’s end.

Wild Hill is open to negotiations, however, no one within the audience or a commissioner asked if this PILOT was negotiable. No one ever asked but we did. If you, as a person, want to truly work for the benefit of the entire county, why did you not ask about negotiating? It is easy to oppose instead of being part of the solution. Considering the recent power failure that lasted from 3:30 p.m. to 11:10 p.m., negotiations could possibly include a solar grid backup within a reasonable size for a future addition by all solar projects.

On Jan. 7, 2021, Torch Energy’s project, Bedington Energy Facility, located in Berkeley County announced a PILOT approval. If Torch asked for a PILOT in Berkeley County, they are going to ask for it in Jefferson. Torch is utilizing the Economic Development approach.

Linn County, in Kansas approved PILOT Programs for three solar projects. On June 30, 2023, the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill that included a 4 year extension of PILOT programs to make the option available until 2028. The city of Laconia, NH grants the PILOT program for solar projects. The list of counties and states approving PILOT programs is across the entire United States. Why is Jefferson County really letting this slip away?

Solar started growing in 2018, the “Green Energy” push just takes credit for it. The Coal Miner work force has decreased by almost half over the last decade and a half. Machines are big and more efficient. West Virginia offers coal (but not in Jefferson County), and natural gas rigs/production (but not in Jefferson County). Jefferson County can have solar and we will become a tri power production state.

Jean Zigler Kotch, of Kabletown