Lakes Regional Community Center Board Appointment Tabled
Hopkins County Commissioners Court had a full agenda Monday. They approved two items regarding solar panels, a resolution regarding related to a proposed solar farm, a re-plat request, line item transfer and received the annual audit. Decision on a proposed board appointment was tabled, however.
Replat Request
A request was made for the Commissioners to approve replatting of Lots 1 and 2 at High Point Estates, for Phase 2 of the project.
Steve Hudson explained the replatting would allow for needed easements. The owners of Phase 2 at High Point Estates were contacted. An easement is needed along the south property line of Lot 1 for electric and to put up an Internet tower in the southwest corner so that residents can receive Internet. That made that parcel under the 1 acre clearance requirement to be able to use the OSF for sewer on the lot, he explained.
‘We simply pivoted that lot between lots 1 and 2 to regain in lot 1 the square footage,” Hudson said.
Bartley said the property is in Precinct 3. The tower is going in behind some houses. Work has just begun to rock a new street going in at the addition. Bartley recommended approving the request
Solar Panels, Contracts
Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin noted that proposed was having one service contract for maintenance of solar panels on top of the jail and Civic Center instead of separate contracts for each. The court approved the contract.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tanner Crump reminded the Commissioners that at their last work session James Showalter explained that he would need the courts approval to apply for grants for solar panels on county facilities.
Also proposed was allowing solar construction on two new buildings, the one in Heritage Park and Hopkins County Law Enforcement Courtroom. Commissioners approved the motion to allow panels on those facilities.
Annual Audit
Auditor Lewis Crain of Rutledge, Crain & Company presented the annual audit of county finances. presented the county’s annual financial audit to the commissioners on Monday.
“Overall, the county had a good year. Things look positive,” Crain said.
The county’s general fund and road and bridge fund are in “good shape” Crain told Hopkins county Commissioners Court during their regular meeting Monday, Feb. 24. The county received nearly $1 million more than expected in revenues, due in part to conservative budgeting, increased growth an economic activity.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley said increased property values generated more funding, which allowed the county to put funding back into road and bridge funds. A few years before, when revenues weren’t as good, the county precincts suffered to keep other county functions operating. Those funds went back to roads in 2019. Additional projected revenues for the future should help put more toward roads too.
Pine Forest Solar Resolution
A resolution was approved by the court which would give Pine Forest Solar I, LLC, during development of the the proposed solar power project “access to, egress from, encroachments into, crossing of, and possibly upgrades to County roads, County owned right-of-way, and County-held right-of-way easements located in Hopkins County.”
Commissioners said the roads PFSI requested for use/and or maintenance if the solar project proceeds include: County Roads 2310 and 2346, in the Pine Forest area of Precinct 2; and County Roads 3342, 3351, 3340 and 3349 in the Pine Forest area of Precinct 3.
PFSI indicated potentially improving some roads in Precincts 2 and 3 in the Pickton-Pine Forest area of the proposed project. Some roads that are more sandy, PFSI proposed adding a layer of rock. That, would be at PFSI’s cost and improve roads at no cost to the county, the commissioners noted.
When the court approved tax incentives for PFSI, the agreement also included a stipulation that the business pay a specified fee the first year to help cover cost of any damages to county roads during the construct phase of the project.
If the project moves forward, work is targeted to being this spring on the Pine Forest farm.
Board Appointment
The motion to consider appointing Dana Sills to the Lakes Regional Community Center Board of Trustees was tabled until more information can be gathered about the board as well as the appointment request.
Line Item Transfer
County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook reported Precinct 4 received a payment from Lacy Proffitt for $5,000 to bring County Roads 4822 and 4823. She recommended moving those funds from revenue into the Precinct 4 road building fund. The motion received approval of all four commissioners.
Consent Agenda
As part of the consent agenda, the court approved regular and work session minutes for the four most recent meetings and a request by Farmers Electric Cooperative to construct electrical power distribution facilities across County Road 3512, just north of County Road 3513 in Precinct 3.
