Logan County Commissioner Michael Yoder has submitted his resignation to the Ohio Power Siting Board for his ad hoc position as it relates to the Grange Solar project in Logan County, the commissioners reported Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Yoder explains in his resignation letter submitted to the OPSB Wednesday that the resignation is related to a legal technicality and a motion filed by the Grange Solar project’s attorney.
“The reason for my resignation is that the Grange Solar project attorney has filed a motion to strike the commissioners’ notice of intervention filed Jan. 22, alleging that Commissioner Joseph Antram was ethically prohibited from voting on the resolution to intervene, as a portion of the proposed project will be abutting his real estate.”
Yoder continues his letter, expressing his disagreement with the allegation of an ethical conflict, as the Ohio Revised Code “spells out the ethics restrictions for ad hoc members, and ‘owning a neighboring property’ is not within criteria to disqualify an ad hoc member. If it were, the legislature would have considered it when enacting S.B. 52 in 2021,” he said.
The commissioner provided background information in his letter on the history of the industrial solar issue in the county as well.
“As is obvious from meeting minutes and formal resolutions since August of 2022, Commissioner Antram formed his general stance based on constituent input to restrict large-scale solar development within Logan County pursuant to S.B. 52, some two years before Grange disclosed the map location.
“I believe the allegation of an ethical conflict is pointless, as Commissioner Antram has a duty to the citizens of Logan County as an elected official, and will not stand to personally benefit or incur a detriment by this project apart from the broader impact to Logan County.
“However, litigating this issue would likely result in further delay. Therefore, I have no alternative at this time.”
In closing his letter, Commissioner Yoder requests that he be permitted to appoint a replacement for my position as the ad hoc representative who meets the criteria set forth in the ORC, “as I am needed to continue representing the citizens of Logan County in this matter.”
OPSB Letter 021225