Residents fight solar panels at Madison Co. Commission meeting

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — Dozens of residents from the Denmark community lined the walls at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, determined to fight solar panels coming to their neighborhood.

“Our concern is our view and our property value, and the safety and the issues of long term effects of the solar farm,” said Denmark resident Brice Meeks.

This comes after people from Beech Bluff fought chicken barns coming to their area — so far to no avail.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’ve done everything in my power to do,” Beech Bluff resident Claude Johnson said.

For now, the commission tabled talks about the solar panels, waiting for more information from Silicon Ranch, who already has some near the airport.

“I’m satisfied with ‘tabled.’ I think that Silicon Ranch needs to be aware that the community is concerned and we want more information,” Meeks said.

The Madison County Commission also has some big expenses coming up that Finance Director Karen Bell wants them to start looking at. Some of those include the new Pope Elementary School, furnishings at Jackson Central Merry and Madison Academic high schools, and also furnishing the new jail.

“We’re looking at completing construction in September,” said Madison County Mayor John Mehr. “Of course, that doesn’t mean we’re moving right in. So it’ll probably be up first of the year, maybe even March before we started moving in.”

But Bell says she put question marks under the total cost, because she still hasn’t received estimates on furnishings.

“It’s not made it to my office with anything definitive as far as costs,” Bell said. “No estimations, nothing has been provided.”

And with less than nine months from completion, the Madison County Commission will be tasked with how to pay for it.

“We’re welcome to sitting down any time he’s ready and we’ve been asking for that for the last six months,” Bell said.

“We’re going to be meeting in a couple of weeks to break down what’s already in the budget fund for the jail and we’ll see what else we need,” said Sheriff Mehr.

McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport also told the commission they are having trouble with sinkholes on the property, and are seeking help with finding out where they’re coming from and how to fix them.