Perry County Commission grants tax abatement to firm considering solar electricity-generating plant off Howard Road

The Perry County Commission has given a tax abatement to a Delaware company considering building a solar electricity-generating operation in rural Perry County.

Leeward Energy Company, the parent company of Perry County Solar LLC, is considering building a 748-acre facility just off of J.J. Howard Road.

Commissioner Brett Harrison said, “We voted to abate the non-educational portion of the ad valorum tax for the State for 10 years, and for the County for a period of 20 years. Also included in the abatement is the sales use tax and constructional property tax.”

According to Harrison, all landowners involved are willing to work with the company. “Currently the county receives about $4,000 per year on this land,” Harrison said. “Over the period of the abatement, the company will pay the Perry County Commission General Fund $50,000 per year.” That equals $1 million over the 20 years. And after the abatement ends, the property value will have increased, which will increase the tax rate.

If the solar farm is built, local workers could get construction jobs, but the finished plant will not be a major employer, according to Harrison. "Once the company gets set up, it’s not going to have a great amount of employees employed there, because it doesn’t take a lot of people to run a solar farm,” Harrison said. “As far as economic development and revenue to the county, we are way to the plus, but as far as employment opportunities, there’s not a great advantage.”

Harrison said if the solar farm is built, it could help to bring attention to Perry County. “I’ve always said that this airport in Perry County is one of the most overlooked assets that we have,” Harrison said. “We’re centrally located in the State of Alabama, and it’s one of the largest runways in the United States. Our chamber of commerce has pretty much dwindled away, and we just don’t advertise our assets. Perry Lakes Park is one of them. Maybe this will draw some attention to us.”

Harrison made the motion to grant the abatement. He, Commissioners Albert Turner Jr. and Anthony Long voted in favor of the motion. Commissioner Cedric Hudson abstained and Commissioner Ben Eaton was not present.

The Commission also appropriated money from the American Rescue Funds. They awarded both Sowing Seeds of Hope and CHOICE $25,000. Uniontown Public Library and Marion-Perry County Library both were awarded $5,000, and county employees received an extra $250 each.