Attached is a document that was prepared and given out at a GOP fundraiser to every politician I could personally hand one to:
That list included the following individuals.
- LT. Governor Suzanne Crouch: 7/11/20
She took the paperwork and claimed she never heard about any fires involving solar panels. I never heard anything from her after the fundraiser.
- State Senator Mark Messmer: 7/11/20,
He knew about the two mile rule outside of the city and wanted to know who was developing the solar farm. He seemed concerned about solar farms in residential. but I never heard back from him after the fund raiser was over.
- U.S. Congressman Larry Bucshon: &/11/20
He said he would read the documentation and asked for contact info. Said he would respond, but never did.
- Attorney General Todd Rokita
- State Representative Ron Bacon
- County Commissioner Tom Brown: 7/11/20,
Avoided answering questions, said he has no responsibility or involvement involving this Solar Development. He also claimed that Vectren was taking over the construction, not Orion.
- County Commissioner Aaron Benton
Jon Winkler is/was the head of the Republican party for Spencer County. 7/11/20
He claimed I was wrong about the two mile rule. Did not seem to have any interest in any other information.
The responses I received were,,,,,,,,, Not even Crickets.
I received one email from Todd Young's assistant but it's been a couple of years and I never heard anything else from them.
I will remember that EVERY TIME I VOTE in a PRIMARY.
NONE OF THEM DESERVE MY VOTE OR MY RESPECT and I will do everything in my power to find and support REAL Conservatives.
ANYWAY, here is my letter.
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To respond, please contact xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Never Judge a Book by JUST It’s Cover.
While some people may look at me and see a old man in his mid to late 70’s with a 9th grade education, I am about to let you in on a SMALL PART that lies beneath the surface.
Over 40 years ago, I read about a chess tournament that was being held in Northern Indiana. I attended that tournament, simply because I wanted to play chess and didn’t know anyone in my area that I could play with.
A year later, I was the founder and president of a local chess club in Northern Indiana. I volunteered to go into the schools and teach chess to students. I also performed exhibitions at shopping malls and county fairs where I would play against individuals while being blindfolded OR on play 10 to 20 boards at one time, against different opponents. Everything I did at and for that chess club was FREE. I never charged anyone a single dime. And that chess club is still in existence and thriving.
Today I am a retired business owner that spent over 50 years building SIXTEEN of my own businesses from scratch, in multiple towns and counties within Indiana as well as in other states.
Those businesses ranged from Manufacturing plants, Real Estate, Advertising, Publishing, Retail Establishments, including Restaurants and Stores, the Transportation Industry, Wholesale Suppliers, and various businesses in the Service Industry. I have also financed businesses for others, to help them get their projects and dreams off the ground.
I am also the founder, organizer and financial supporter of several International Historical Preservation Nonprofit Organizations that I still manage, the founder and a current national officer of a motorcycle club as well as a web designer for 30+ websites.
The reason for disclosing my background is to let you know that I have seen and dealt with a variety of Business Laws and Regulations from across this country, I have also dealt with regulations that effect commercial and residential property owners, visitors, tourists and business travelers. As a result of my background and travels, I have witnessed my share of crooked “officials”, organizations and business owners, in a variety of states and towns.
I moved to rural area in Southern Indiana, in part, so that I could retire to a nice quiet area and to get away from all of the big city corruption. I have been in Spencer County almost twenty years and I am sorry to say that I have been greatly disappointed in what I have uncovered in the the last 6 months regarding the world of local politics, some nonprofit organizations and a few of the local professionals.
On December 12th of 2019, The Board of Zoning Appeals for the Town of Grandview, Indiana voted unanimously to approve a “Special Exception” for a “Commercial Solar Energy System” to be located on “30+ Various Parcel of farm land” which were previously zoned, Agricultural and Residential.
Most of what I am about to describe, is well documented. However, if anyone can disprove anything I am about to list, please let me know where I am wrong and I will correct any allegations and/or statements.
If anyone would like to assist me and others across the state of Indiana, by helping to stop the proposed solar farm outside of Grandview as well as any other Indiana solar farms that are located in residential areas, we would be very appreciative and willing to show that appreciation via campaign donations as well as positive coverage on multiple websites.
That vote to surround my home, as well as cover the cropland next to other homes in the area, was the final straw that put this Spencer County, Indiana, registered republican voter and financial donor, over the top and has forced me to start fighting back against incompetent, dishonest and uncaring elected officials of ALL party affiliations.
As such, I have started the process of exposing the votes, financial donors, lies and uncaring comments involving elected officials on the local, state and federal level, regardless of their party affiliation.
The actions of non-elected government officials, non-profit organizations and big business that are drafting and pushing harmful legislation is another area I am ready to start pushing back against. Therefore, I am going to expose the non-elected individuals, organizations and businesses that are drafting these laws and policies, without American Citizens being able to hold them accountable. Information uncovered, relating to these non-government organizations and companies that have been instrumental in influencing hazardous or harmful laws, policies and projects to be passed or enacted, will be exposed to their donors and investors.
As a web designer for over 30 websites, I have already started publishing certain findings on multiple sites, relating to the deception and dangers of Solar Panels and Solar Farms.
Now, I am ready to take the next step and start exposing the corruption and ineptitude that is taking place in Indiana, allowing money hungry companies and politicians to destroy the lifestyles, dreams and property investments of so many residents, by this invasion of solar farms being built next to and around residential housing.
Also, this investigation and the exposure that follows, will NOT end with the next election, because I am currently in the process of adding a new trust to my estate, that will support the cost of this investigation, long after I am gone.
How Indiana Mistreats Their Citizens and Taxpayers.
Some of this exposure will begin prior to the next election and will have an effect on certain Republican Elected Officials.
As conservatives, we know how social media and other tech giants, will limit how much information the general public is allowed to find out when that information relates to anything the giants disagree with.
Dealing with any type of green energy is treated the same way. Negative stories, posts and articles are limited in their exposure, UNLESS you look on the Dark Web or certain websites that have message boards or comment sections.
As adults, we know there are 2 sides to every issue, however in the U.S.A., it seems like every law, code, regulation, etc. is PRO green energy with NO dissenting opinions or rulings allowed. WHY is there no “balance” of information available from the government, regarding the negative aspects and dangers of solar panels or farms?
WHO in Indiana is responsible for this charade posing as Environmental Friendly Energy, ruining the lives of Indiana Residents, Taxpayers and Voters.
In 2015, Tom Utter with Lincolnland Economic Development Corporation, (LEDC), “promoted” the Hoosier Energy Solar Panel project at the Spencer County Council Meeting.
Steve Seibert, CEO of Southern Indiana Power also promoted the same solar project at that meeting plus he admitted that Southern Indiana Power submitted multiple sites in Perry and Spencer County as potential sites for solar farms. (We need a new or different electric co.)
At least THREE of the LEDC Board Members, including the past and/or a current LEDC Chairman and founding member, have or currently sit on either the Spencer County Council or the Spencer County Commissioners Board.
This raises a very interesting question. How can individuals that RUN an organization dedicated to enticing big businesses to come into a county, with the primary goal of collecting the “Property Tax” they brag about, (regardless of the effects those businesses will have on the environment, job market, traffic, noise, safety and odors,) be qualified to sit on County Boards that are supposed to represent the tax payers and citizens of the county?
I am sorry to say that I have supported and voted for many of these individuals in the past, but that has come to an end. I can assure you that as a result of the Solar Projects being installed in residential areas, including around my own home, I will be publishing every detail I can find about how these individuals are putting money ahead of the people that vote for them.
The Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act
Indiana State Legislators passed an Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) law, many years ago, preventing “some” homeowners and residents from voting for or against individuals that are supposed to represent them.
All but ONE of the Grandview, Indiana properties proposed for conversion to become “Solar Farms” are located outside the city limits of Grandview and as such, a vast majority of the property owners and residents that will be effected by these Solar Farms had no voice in electing the LOCAL individuals responsible for this decision, nor do they have any recourse for a decision that has placed their future lives in limbo for years as they try to decide if they need to move to another county or state, due to the potential health and aesthetic aspects of having so many solar panels in their neighborhood.
When municipalities expand their jurisdiction to those that do not have the right to vote in their elections, it is illegitimate because those disenfranchised are powerless to reverse the policies forced upon them by a government they did not elect into office.
Therefore, since we believe this ETJ law is unfair and possibly even unconstitutional, we plan on publishing details of this law and the effects it is having on Indiana residents.
In addition to publishing details of this ETJ law and the harmful effects it is having on Indiana residents, we also plan on exposing the names of the elected officials that oppose Senate Bill 535 and/or any current and future bills designed to repeal the original ETJ law.
In the event the current ETJ law is not repealed or a repeal is not retroactive to the point that it will make the recent Grandview town board vote to rezone 1,500 acres of farmland, null and void, we will also be filing a class action law suit against the State of Indiana, the counties that have been taking advantage of citizens outside of their towns and the towns that have utilized this law.
Attorneys for Orion Gave Some Residents 15 days or Less Notice of a Meeting.
A Certified Letter from attorneys representing the solar developer was mailed out on Friday, 11/22/19 stating there would be a meeting to decide the future of our lives and our homes on Thursday, 12/12/19. Excluding Sundays, that was 17 business days for the mail to reach Grandview and the residents to read, research and comprehend the “Proposed Application.”
That letter was mailed to “most” of the residents living next door to properties where the Solar Farms are expected to be built, however, there were some residents that did not receive a letter until 12/4/19 or later. There were other residents, including ones that just finished building a new home and at least one that has not even completed the construction of a new home yet, that NEVER received notice of the town meeting and knew nothing about the solar farms being built until 6 months after the vote took place when we informed them.
Elected Officials HID information relating to the Grandview Solar Project
The letter from the attorneys representing the solar developer, announcing a Grandview Town Hall meeting, was the first time most residents learned of the proposed Solar Farms and it stated, “A copy of the proposed application is available for public review at the Town of Grandview Town Hall, Grandview, Indiana during the regular business hours.”
Residents made multiple requests to VIEW the “Proposed Application” but were met with a response from the “Town Clerk” of Grandview, Donna Burrows, stating, “The only thing we have is a MAP of the area.”
On the day the Board of Zoning Appeals for the Town of Grandview, Indiana, held their vote to “unanimously approve” the “Special Exception” for a “Commercial Solar Energy System”, the Town Clerk made an announcement 10 minutes prior to the meeting, stating that she “found” the “Proposed Application.”
According to information stated in the “Proposed Application” (that could not be located by the “Town Clerk”), the “Application was sent directly to the “Town Clerk” via email and overnight delivery on November, 12, 2019, along with copies to the Town Attorney via overnight delivery, the Zoning Administrator via overnight delivery, and 2 other individuals via email.
Additionally, the “formal notice” sent to residents, stating, “A copy of the proposed application is available for public review at the Town of Grandview Town Hall, Grandview, Indiana during the regular business hours.”, was signed by the David K. Nix, the Grandview Town Administrator.
We believe their should be a law against allowing the individuals in charge of running a town, to hide vital information from voters and tax payers. If no one within the State of Indiana investigates these actions and holds these individuals accountable, since we live outside of the city and can not vote these individuals out of office, we have every intention of filing a lawsuit against them and possibly even the State of Indiana for not taking steps themselves.
While we may not have been able to learn enough information within 30 days or the 15 days that we had from the time information stating there was going to be a meeting, was delivered to Grandview, the fact that we only had 15 minutes to review the proposal SHOULD be criminal.
Attorney For Grandview, Hid Vital Information from Citizens.
John Wetherill, the attorney for the town of Grandview was present at the meeting when the zoning was approved for the solar project and we have proof that he hid vital information relating to this project from residents.
According to a November, 29, 2018 newspaper article, possibly from a Tell City, Indiana paper,
The Grandview Town Attorney, John Wetherill, (who was also the attorney for the Spencer County Council during the voting to approve the documentation proposed by Orion Renewables during the Troy, Indiana proposal) had knowledge relating to the fact that Orion Renewables was no longer the owner of the Troy, Indiana project and through logic, should have known or expected that Orion would or may, also sell the Grandview Project and therefore not be the “installer” of the Grandview Solar Project as stated to the public during the December 19, 2019 Zoning Board Public Hearing and vote. (see quote below)
“TROY – While the ownership of the planned solar array in Troy is in flux at the moment, the project is still moving forward. The Spencer County Council has been keeping tabs on recent developments, particularly in lieu of the proposed solar farm passing from Troy Solar LLC to Vectren, the Evansville-based company that is itself undergoing a merger with CenterPoint Energy.
Council attorney John Wetherill reported that as the solar-energy project is now under the ownership of Vectren, the tax abatements the council agreed to with the original company, Troy Solar, are now void. However, Vectren or CenterPoint Energy as the surviving company from the merger, could approach the council seeking the same abatements if they so choose.”
Another Case of Possible Unethical or Collaboration By Wetherill
After receiving notice of the approaching town board meeting, we contact various local attorneys located in Spencer County and could not find anyone willing to represent us.We eventually engaged Cliff R. Whitehead, with Ziemer, Stayman, Weitzel & Shoulders, LLP out of Evansville, Indiana, to represent us at the Grandview Board Meeting.
We met with and spoke with Cliff and another attorney in their office building, relating to various ways the Grandview Solar project could be stopped. The individual that was with Cliff, seemed to be quite experienced and knowledgeable in zoning regulations. He assured us that he would meet us at the Grandview meeting on December 12 and would try to help us.
However, around noon on the day of the meeting, Cliff Whitehead contacted us and stated that he spoke with John Wetherill and that since Vectren was involved in the Grandview Solar Project, Cliff would have to recluse himself.
Orion Renewables Representative LIED at the Grandview Meeting
Since we could not find any additional “professional representation” to attend the meeting, several of us attended the meeting and tried to ask pertinent questions. But it was a waste of time. It was apparent the Grandview Town Council had already made up their mind.
Since I had not read anything about Vectren being involved with this Grandview Solar Project, one of the questions I asked during the meeting, was addressed to Justin Wolf, the representative from Orion. Due to the comment I received from Cliff Whitehead, I specifically asked who was going to be buying the electricity and Mr. Wolf responded that he didn’t know yet.
I had already discovered that “First Solar” was announced as the company providing the Solar Panels for the Troy Solar Farm, (which was also promoted as belonging to Orion Renewables, in spite of the fact that they no longer own it.
I had also discovered that First Solar had been sued by the Federal Government as well as multiple class action lawsuits, regarding covering up data relating to faulty solar panels.
That inspired me to ask Mr. Wolf who would be making the solar panels and he again replied they didn’t know yet.
My third question for Mr. Wolf involved Orion’s history and experience building Solar Farms. I had already researched the company history and discovered they had been involved with Wind Farms, but could not find any records of them ever building a Solar Farm.
The response that I got from that question mentioned a small solar farm in Indiana that someone else built. It was NOT built or designed by Orion.
During all of these questions, Attorney John Wetherill was sitting right beside Mr. Wolf at the time and while he did respond to some questions I asked, he never uttered a word about Vectern being involved, his conversation with Cliff or the fact that Orion was no longer involved with the Troy Indiana Solar Project.
Therefore it was clear that John Wetherill was there to “protect” the town’s interesting in getting what they wanted, (more tax revenue) no matter what was in the best interest of the citizens and voters.
Grandview Zoning Appeals 12-12-19.PDF