BILL COLLINS (file) Seeks, receives opinion from Conflict of Interest & Ethics Advisory Council
The Chairman of Nottoway County’s Board of Supervisors has received a formal opinion, stating he can vote on the proposed Rocky Ford Road solar project.
District Five rep Bill Collins made the announcement at Thursday night’s Board worksession. Collins said he reached-out to the Virginia Conflict of Interest & Ethics Advisory Council because his employer (Citizens Bank & Trust Co.) holds deeds of trust on several parcels in the proposed project area.
The Council replied to Collins that if the Board votes on the project as a whole — and not individual tracts — Collins can vote so long as he publicly declares his employer’s interest.
Collins must “orally disclose the existence of the interest during each meeting of the governmental or advisory agency at which the transaction is discussed — and such disclosure shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting,” G. Stewart Petoe, Executive Director of the Council, wrote Collins on October 6th.
Supervisors are scheduled to hold a public hearing on the Rocky Ford application next Monday night, Oct. 20th, at 7:00 p.m. in the General District Courtroom.
Just a few weeks ago, Collins had announced that he would not be allowed to vote; and then a few days later, Supervisor John Roark announced on Facebook his plans to leave office “sooner rather than later,” citing health concerns.
Such a scenario would have resulted in a four-member Board with only three members (Dicky Ingram, Daphne Norton, and Bo Toth) able to vote. Two votes would have been needed to approve or reject the project, and Ingram already has said publicly that he will vote against the project.
Now — with the opinion allowing Collins to vote and with Supervisor John Roark still on the Board and no resignation date yet announced — it appears all five members will be voting. Three votes will be required to either approve or reject the project.
Ingram has proven a staunch opponent of industrial solar facilities. He cast the lone ‘No’ vote earlier this year against amendments to the County’s solar ordinance allowing more flexibility in granting solar permits. He also cast the lone ‘No’ vote against what could become the County’s first solar farm — a 40-acre site, with 20 acres under panel — at Inverness farm owned by Shawn & Katherine Haney near Burkeville.
Collins has made it clear he’s no fan of industrial solar — saying opposition to solar is a big reason why he ran for election in 2023 — but he also has said the County has a significant revenue problem and that solar sites can help boost the County’s revenue must be done responsibly.
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