Court approves tax abatement for solar project

The St. Francis County
Quorum Court recently approved
a tax abatement for NextEra
Energy Solutions for the
construction of an energy storage
facility to be built at the Flat Fork
Solar Project south of Wheatley.
During a meeting of the budget
committee, followed by a meeting
of the full Court, justices heard
from Chloe Romero, project
manager with NextEra Energy
Solutions, and the company’s
attorney, Michele Allgood, about
the process of putting the
requested tax abatement in place.
According to Allgood, this is
not the first time she has spoken
to the SFCQC regarding a tax
abatement for NextEra.
“My name is Michele Allgood
and I am an attorney with Mitchell
Williams Law Firm in Little Rock,”
she said. “We have been in front of
you before to talk about
abatement projects and how you
have incentivized investment in
your community. We have had a
couple of public hearings where
Chloe (Romero) has been able to
answer questions about the
projects and I have answered
questions about the bonds.”
Allgood explained that the
group is requesting a PILOT, or
payment in lieu of taxes, plan to
allow NextEra to pay a lesser
amount in property taxes each
year.
“To confirm, the bonds will not
create a financial obligation for
the county,” said Allgood. “It will
allow the county to incentivize
NextEra to come and make an
investment in your county by
granting them a tax abatement.
That means to pay a smaller
amount of the property taxes that
they would otherwise pay.”
Romero told justices that in
addition to the abatement, the
group is offering to pay the county
$4.5 million over 30 years at
$150,000 per year.
“I have given a couple of
presentations about the
upcoming project,” said Romero.
“It will be a surplus battery
addition to the existing Flat Fork
Solar Project located in St. Francis
and Lee counties. It will be a 200
megawatt storage facility. We are
looking to go operational,
hopefully in 2028. We are seeking a
tax abatement and we are offering
the county $150,000 per year for
30 years, which comes to $4.5
million.”
According to Allgood, SFC
Judge Craig Jones has the full
ability to legally put the tax
abatement in place, however he
wanted the justices to be able to
have their questions answered
first.
“The way this is implemented
is through a county bond order,”
said Allgood. “So, the judge, sitting
as the county Court, would
implement or grant the tax
abatement. But, he wanted us to
come and answer your questions.
I also believe the Judge is looking
to the Court for their support.”
Jones further stated that he felt
that it was the diplomatic decision
to have the Court’s support before
making any decisions on the
abatement.
“The first abatement was given
back in 2020. The Court was
brought into it then and I don’t
see any reason to change it,” said
Jones. “I think it is the diplomatic
way to do this, instead of one guy
sitting here making decisions. I
like having the Court’s support and I will do as the Court deems me
to do.”
Justices voted unanimously in
favor of providing the tax
abatement to NextEra Energy
Solutions for the construction of
the new facility.
During the Court’s budget
committee meeting, held prior to
the full meeting of the Court,
justices heard from First Judicial
Circuit Court Judge Chris Morledge
regarding a pay raise for his bailiff,
Jeff Goff.
According to Morledge,
currently the SFC Treasurer has
been required to place money into
an account for a law library that is
basically non-existent.
“This is my bailiff, Jeff Goff,” said
Morledge. “He is my employee and
his salary comes out of my budget
each year. I am proposing to give
him a raise of $3,600 a year. That
money will not cost you all
anything. I want to transfer money
from the current law library. Each
month, by law, the treasurer is
required to donate money into our
library fund. We do not have a law
library.”
Morledge explained that while
Goff is his employee, if Morledge is
not in court, Goff is still at the
courthouse helping any other judge
who is there holding proceedings.
“We used to have a law library,
but our librarian left,” said
Morledge. “I walked into my
chamber and on my desk was the
checkbook and a note saying she
resigned. We stopped all
subscriptions at that point and that
money has just been building up
and building up. I keep the
checkbook, but as the judge, I am
not authorized to sign anything. I
have spoken to the other judges
and we are all in agreement that Jeff
should receive this raise.”
The Court voted unanimously
in favor of Morledge’s request to
increase Goff’s pay