12 February 2026 Stop Solar Farms Meeting- American Legion Hall- Sunman IN
Also present:
Marc Emral, Register Publications
Duane Bischoff, Commissioner
Senator Randy Maxwell
Representative Garrett Bascom
Channel 9 News
There are 350-400 people in attendance
40 tables of 6 seats each ( 240) plus the entire space behind them was filled as well.
Mark Hall - gave the welcome- thanking people for showing up and discussing the cause. Thanked for money and for putting out the signs etc
Introduced Stacy Craig.
Stacy Craig- lived in Manchester most of her life along with many family members. On Feb 23 at 6 PM there will be a Plan Commission at South Dearborn HS. Bring as many people as you can. Asking for a MORATORIUM. It’s not a ban-- It’s a pause. Want the zoning code to be updated and then hear it.
We need a responsible ordinance that respects ur communities, roads etc.
Linnea has 1200 acres. We know about 800 acres and mapped it. The other 400 acres not shown on the map but are in the area.
Franklin county has 15,000 more acres than Dearborn County. Dearborn County has more people.
Our protections should be at least as conservative as Franklin Co as we have more rural acres.
Today it’s solar - tomorrow is data centers, and future might also be smaller nuclear power projects tp energize the data centers. Never believed that this would happen in Manchester - but here it is.
Emily Hartman- will overlap some of Stacy’s comments. We need everyone at the Feb 23 P/Z meeting. Best chance is to get a moratorium- in order to get the ordinance updated. Compared Franklin Co zones - which was adopted in Sept 2025. Look at the current Ordinance Chapter 19. That will tell you what you might want to see changes.
Our ordinance does not define or protect prime farmland. It also does not protect the non participating landowners.
Every solar company will say they support the community and be partners.They want to make generous offer. We cannot fight every developer one by one. We need the ordinance.
Linnea Energy is pencilled in on the agenda to speak at teh PC meeting on the 23rd.
End each speaker with I support the Moratorium.
Bobby Rauen- The challenge we are facing is not small 0r distant - it is clear and pressing. This is not simply progress knocking on our door. We need to know what we value etc. Our comp plan speaks when it says the entire community has a stake in how it is used. Industrial solar arrays do not belong in farm land.They belong in industrial zones. He described these facilities- and described the burdens on our services and farmers and communities. It undermines rural character. Should we allow our countryside to be carved up piece by piece? We don’t want our farms turned into glass and steel. See you all on Feb 23.
Mark Hall- We need money. Challenge by a member here who will match everything collected tonight up to $1,000.
Rhett Dennerline- lives our by Dillsboro.Issues are emotional because its about family. Important to be civl and polite. Follow the rules. Our county ordinance is liking have a house without locks on the doors. We need to have this ordinance revised and updated. To current standards
Curt Wolford- was raised in Germany. This was in my country. He detailed the issues and ended with a vote for his frond - Joe Volk for senator.
Senator Randy Maxwell- 1333 is dead- and that language will not end up in any other bill this year.
Audience :
Questions asked about refurbishing existing power plants.
Questions about Iowa issues with solar and wind and NY lawyers.
Questions about the clean up after these are no longer needed.
Questions- there are a million questions….that should be asked.
This is pro-developer.
Stacy CraigConcerns about construction equipment.Roads will be ruined and taxes to fix?
Battery storage facility needs to have fire dept to be trained to deal with that. Lithium batteries require evacuation if they burn for days?
We have to get real protectors in place!
The decommissioning part of the project needs to be fixed in the ordinance. If they get sold- does this pass to the new owners….
Can we work with Franklin County ?We should look at other counties. Yes!
What happens if they don’t grant the moratorium?
Take to BZA for appeal. This would be an uphill battle.
There are public and private nuisance laws. This pits developer against neighbors etc. Want to eliminate private lawsuits and not be pitted against each other.
Bobby Rauen- Linnea as well as other businesses are young and sprung up in past 10 years. They are for CA and started numerous projects and have one completed. We do not have transparency with Linnea. They have been here since 2022.
Another citizen stressed not letting this go any further. Here is nothing good about any part of this. He called Linnea an investment company.
Emily Hartman- Announced that Ripley County has their moratorium granted today.
Citizen presented NIH findings concluding that more study is needed and to evaluate the solar panels effect on water and soil.
Solar farms were to provide energy for data centers in some areas.
Bobby Rauen- IDEM said they are not aware of any long term effects of these batteries and panels.
He went over the rules on ex parte communications- cannot have these with PC and BZA members. But you can lobby the commissioners- they are elected officials.
Candidate for State Senator - Joe Volk spoke- I am a farmer- not a politician - talked about the pollution- and how it spreads to farms where you end up eating it. Gave praise to Bobby Rauen and Mark Hall.
Meeting finished about around 7:15 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
