Barnard told board members he received an anonymous letter from a local resident who reported there are rumors going around that some board members or their relatives may have signed leases offered by wind farm developers. If that's the case, Barnard said "that County Board member has a duty to disclose that and abstain from voting because that's a conflict of interest per se."
Barnard told board members he received an anonymous letter from a local resident who reported there are rumors going around that some board members or their relatives may have signed leases offered by wind farm developers. If that's the case, Barnard said "that County Board member has a duty to disclose that and abstain from voting because that's a conflict of interest per se."
Adams County States Attorney Jon Barnard told the Adams County Board Tuesday night that remarks he recently made regarding any conflicts of interests regarding the proposed wind energy development in the county at last month's meeting were intended as a "heads up."
"The purpose of my comments were to make the board aware of a perception that seemed to be a good faith perception, one that admittedly may not have been held by all," he said. "But I am concerned that my comments may have been interpreted as some suspicion on my part with regard to whether or not board members ... had failed to disclose any sort of personal interest in regard to wind farm projects."
Barnard warned County Board members last month that if they have any kind …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Adams County States Attorney Jon Barnard told the Adams County Board Tuesday night that remarks he recently made regarding any conflicts of interests regarding the proposed wind energy development in the county at last month's meeting were intended as a "heads up."
"The purpose of my comments were to make the board aware of a perception that seemed to be a good faith perception, one that admittedly may not have been held by all," he said. "But I am concerned that my comments may have been interpreted as some suspicion on my part with regard to whether or not board members ... had failed to disclose any sort of personal interest in regard to wind farm projects."
Barnard warned County Board members last month that if they have any kind of financial interest in a possible wind farm development in Adams County, they should disclose it publicly and abstain from voting on all issues related to wind energy.
Barnard told board members he received an anonymous letter from a local resident who reported there are rumors going around that some board members or their relatives may have signed leases offered by wind farm developers. If that's the case, Barnard said "that County Board member has a duty to disclose that and abstain from voting because that's a conflict of interest per se."
The Adams County Board tabled the revisions to the wind energy ordinance until next month. County Board Chairman Mike McLaughlin said the Transportation, Building and Technology Committee needed time to review revisions before they were sent to the full board.
Barnard said he knew that a couple members had approached Board Chairman Mike McLaughlin about conflicts of interest. Barnard also was contacted by one board member who had questions about whether a conflict of interest existed under a number of scenarios.
"I didn't want those comments to imply any sort of suspicion about non-disclosure when in fact there had been disclosure - proactive disclosure," he said.
McLaughlin said only one member who approached him would probably need to abstain their vote when the revisions come before the board.
"I've only got about four that I know of that have a possibility of having a conflict," he said. "As of this date, there has only been one who signed, and he did that on behalf of his father who is in a nursing home, and that was his power of attorney. We kind of consider that a conflict talking to legal."
None of the others who approached McLaughlin have signed leases yet, he added.
The board also accepted the resignations of Bill Cole, D-2, and Kent Snider, R-3, effective Aug. 1, because both members have moved out of district. McLaughlin said he was required to notify party chairman within three days that a member resigned and they would have 60 days to fill the vacancy.