By Dana Jay
Thursday, October 02, 2008 at 11:27 a.m.
Read more: Local, Economy
KIRKSVILLE -- KTVO has discovered a conflict of interest in the Sullivan County wind project.
Commissioner James Howard is on the list of landowners that stand to profit financially from having a wind mill on their property. KTVO has obtained eight-pages of documents showing that Howard and his wife Linda signed a lease option agreement on the Shuteye Creek Wind Project.
Howard confirmed that he has an interest in the project. He also told KTVO that the Sullivan County Commission voted unanimously to apply for an enhanced enterprise zone, which would create a board that would decide what kind of tax breaks to give Tradewind Energy. That board would be appointed by the commission.
The company says they need tax breaks to win a contract. Without a contract, they won't build the wind farm. Each landowner, including Howard, stands to make at least $6,700 dollars per windmill the company builds on their property.
Howard tells KTVO he doesn’t really see a conflict of interest because “we've always had an enhanced enterprise zone in Sullivan County.”
He says he’s not interested in making a profit.
“I really think this windmill thing is going to be good for the county and Green City Schools,” he told KTVO by phone.
Despite the commissioner’s intentions, a legal expert tells KTVO the conflict of interest could leave the application for the enhanced enterprise zone open to legal challenge.
