Column: Portage Solar project shows need for competence, leadership in local government

By Dan Kontos

Our government at all levels needs three components to operate properly.

The first is to act ethically. To do the “right” thing. Ethical behavior requires that we recognize that our public officials have responsibilities that must be fulfilled regardless of the outcome. That is a universal principle that applies to everyone.

A list of duties that might be assigned to those in government is likely to include a duty not to deceive the public, a duty to act lawfully (and dare I say constitutionally), a duty not to cover up despicable behavior, a duty to keep the promises made when accepting employment (such as promises to do the job required), and to keep appropriate government secrets including maintaining proper and necessary confidentiality.

That is the cornerstone of what must be demanded of our government at all levels and should be the first level of examination when evaluating these public servants. Take a moment to reflect on those who work in our name.

But ethics is not my intended topic today.

The remaining components are competence and leadership. These are not the same but often overlap. Let’s look at a local example. Are you familiar with Portage Solar? Some of you are, but only a relatively few I would guess.

Portage Solar is a Minnesota-based subsidiary company of National Grid Renewables that is proposing the construction and operation of a solar energy generating facility that will stretch across 2,100 acres here in Portage County. This project will be located south of State Highway 54, and straddle the boundaries of both the towns of Plover and Grant.

Plans are for the project to begin construction in August 2023 and be online by November 2024. 

This massive undertaking will consist of over 525,000 to 860,000 solar panels, with a final layout that will be able to generate over 250 megawatts of AC power to be sent to the existing electrical grid.

To put this into perspective, a one-hundred-watt lightbulb is rated to consume one hundred watts of power when turned on. A megawatt is one million watts. It’s a lot more complicated than this, but it suffices to say that a generic household, on average, uses energy at a level of about 1 kilowatt (meaning 1000 watts, which equals 10 100-watt lightbulbs). So, 250,000,000 watts is not a trivial figure, to say the least.

You can have your opinions about solar farms, pro or con. Personally, I’m an all of the above strategy kind of guy when it comes to energy. As long as the government isn’t supplementing or holding back the private sector to help pick winners and losers, I’m pretty much in favor of letting the free market roll. Look at the current energy disaster we have gotten into when the government gets involved.

It’s a complicated proposal for sure. The project is being considered by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission right now, and the public comment period goes until June 6. The filing is over 100 pages, with hundreds more pages of supporting documents. I read the proposal, but I wonder who else did.

Now, where does the proficiency of local leaders come into play? I wouldn’t expect town or county board members to be experts on power generation, or even most of the detailed aspects of local government that is impacted by this venture. Issues such as zoning, wetlands, soil erosion, land cover, geotechnical engineering, green glare, historical and archeological surveys, and wildlife impact just to name a few.

That’s where our professional public employees are involved. They are the expertise behind the competence component of government. They are the people who local elected officials rely on to sift and sort the details, explore the options, forecast the impacts, and present alternatives. They may be responsible for some appropriate technical reviews and approvals, but it’s the elected officials who have the final say.

Current estimates are that the project would annually contribute approximately $75,000 to the Town of Grant, over $341,000 to the Town of Plover, and over $583,000 to Portage Co. during the 25- to 35-year life of the facility. I wonder how our local administrations will plan to use these funds. Will government expand, or will we perhaps see some welcomed tax relief?

This is where leadership comes into play. Now is the time to look to the future, explore those options laid out by staff, and communicate to the public what they have determined the best course of action is. What do your local officials have to say on this matter? Now that you know about it, do they? What is their vision for the future, and how do they propose to get there?

I can promise you this. There are several local “leaders” who have no clue about the soon-to-be-changing landscape of our area if this project is ultimately approved, which I foresee as a very real possibility. They will undoubtedly trundle into their committee and board meetings with placid expressions reflecting their uninspired and uninformed positions, and simply follow the school of fish. 

Leadership requires vision and bold decision-making. Do your local elected officials have what it takes to be a leader? Many thankfully do, but sadly many do not. Can you spot the difference? In the end, we get the government we deserve, and we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Remember that come election time.

So, with that, let’s meet in the opinion section to talk about all of it, boldly, unafraid, and with a healthy respect for each other. Until then, God bless.

Dan Kontos is a paid columnist for the Metro Wire. He chooses his own topics and his opinions do not necessarily represent the staff of the Metro Wire. He lives with his family in Whiting. 

We are seeking additional columnists. Anyone with interest should email [email protected].