As a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 688, I support the proposed Frasier Solar project in Knox County, a project that brings tremendous opportunity for the community and its workers. IBEW represents over 820,000 active and retired members nationwide. Twenty thousand of these men and women are proud Ohioans and we have hundreds of members living right here in Knox County. While IBEW electricians work on a wide variety of projects and industries, currently more than 85% of our members work on energy projects. We build and maintain power plants of all kinds, including the critical transmission infrastructure that connects our grid and brings power to your home. We keep the lights on.

We are your neighbors, Little League coaches, community volunteers and friends. We come to work, do our jobs, and we fight for good-paying, family-sustaining wages that help Ohioans establish a dignified career in a skilled trade. With the PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) agreement from Knox County, Frasier Solar will support good job creation in our county and more.

As Ohio’s solar industry grows, we are diversifying our power grid and powering our communities. The Frasier Solar project will directly support our local electricians and other skilled laborers in our community. And that work benefits the local community where we work, live, and spend our money. The voluntary PILOT program agreed upon between the developers of Frasier Solar and the Knox County Commissioners ensures these benefits by spelling out how revenue from the Frasier Solar project will be collected locally. It ensures that money from the project stays within our community, benefiting our local schools, improving public safety, and reducing our tax burden.

Here are the simple truths about this PILOT program that you need to know:

1. The project owner will be obligated to pay its construction staff prevailing wages. This means the 350 direct and indirect jobs created by Frasier Solar will generate more than $25 million in total earnings.
2. Through the PILOT, Frasier Solar will be obligated to source 70% of the workforce locally, protecting Ohio workers from traveling construction crews that don’t have our community’s best interest in mind.
3. It will ensure that generated revenue stays within the local community, benefitting Mount Vernon City School District, Knox County Career Center, Community Health Center, Children’s Services, Developmental Disabilities, The Public Library, City of Mount Vernon, Miller and Clinton Townships, and the County General revenue fund.

This PILOT program is set to pay $1,080,000 in county taxes every year for up to 40 years, which is 47 times what the land currently generates. This project isn’t just a business deal, it’s a commitment to our community. Open Road Renewables is a forward-thinking solar development company dedicated to union job creation and public service and we’re proud to endorse Frasier Solar. 

The Frasier Solar project provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for revenue generation in Knox County that will be felt for generations. This project will help IBEW apprentices graduate debt-free, earning wages that take care of their families and provide an alternative to traditional education paths.

We need our community leaders to be wary of sweeping generalizations and unsubstantiated claims against solar. When you hear about the Frasier Solar Project, remember it’s not just about energy; it’s about your neighbors, friends, and fellow community members working together to build a strong future for Knox County.