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VOLUME 169, No. 34 Thursday, August 24, 2023 PRICE $1.

T HE

H AST I NGS

Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856

BrewFest draws its

largest crowd

See story on page 6

Hastings High fall sports

previewed

See pages 9-

United Way director celebrates

25 years

See story on page 8

Consumers Energy details renewable energy

projects in Johnstown Twp.; Residents push back

Leila Wood
Contributing Writer
Consumers Energy unveiled plans for
renewable energy projects slated for John-
stown Township farmland during last week’s
board meeting.
Spring Creek Dairy is a roughly 1,600-
acre renewable energy project, plans for
which include solar panels and a biodigester
system, which collects natural gas from
decomposing manure.
Consumers Energy Community Affairs
Manager Greg Moore thanked the township
board for giving them the time to “publicly
introduce this project to the community”
and said, “We’ve been eager to do this for a
long time.”
Stakeholder Engagement Manager Ryan
Carrigan, also of Consumers Energy, dis-
played a map of the proposed project, which
he said is not yet final.
“The county still needs to go through their
specific zoning process to come up with all
the specifics of the ordinance that we obvi-
ously would need to meet.”
He noted that the entire project encompass-

es about 1,600 acres, but that does not mean

1,600 acres of solar panels.

There will also be a functioning dairy

farm, several undeveloped wetlands and

wooded areas, and a large portion of the land

that will remain agricultural, under their cur-

rent plan.

“We do not touch any trees. We try not to cut

any trees. We try to stay away from all the

wetlands that are available ... because, number

one, it creates an environmental nightmare for

us. Number two, we have to get tons of permis-

sions to be able to cut any trees,” said Project

Development Manager Mohamed El-Gafy.

Setbacks and screens are included in their

plan, but Carrigan advised against the cre-

ation of an ordinance that would require

larger setbacks than Consumers is planning

for, as that would spread out the project, and

he said, “focusing more on where there are

residential homes next to the project is our

preference because we can produce a nice,

compact product that minimizes how much it

spreads in the community around it.”

If Consumers Energy ever decides to

expand the solar panels in the future, that

would require approval from the county, and

this is currently their only solar project in

Barry County.

Consumers Energy is required to provide

90 percent of its energy from clean sources

by 2040, and according to Carrigan, they

have chosen to focus on solar.

“We’re going to do 8,000 megawatts in the

next decade or so. Solar is the cheapest way

to produce energy right now,” he said.

Carrigan and El-Gafy directed residents to

Lazard and the Department of Energy, to

research the economics of energy production

further.

“Lazard is an independent organization

that tracks that ... if you believe the govern-

ment, look at the Department of Energy web-

site. If you do not believe the government,

look into Lazard, and you will find different

numbers. Pick the numbers you believe,” said

El-Gafy.

According to Stakeholder Engagement

Manager Dena Isabell, Consumers expects

to save over 600 million dollars that would

be spent to build or update coal and other

facilities.

Producing that volume of solar energy will

take 70,000 to 80,000 acres, or about one-

and-a-half percent of Michigan’s farmland,

according to Carrigan, and he said, “putting

solar there, quite honestly, is one of the few

change of uses that at the end of it, you can

still farm it again... I like to think of it as

solar helps preserve the opportunity to farm,”

he said.

To produce energy from solar panels as

cost-effectively as possible, Carrigan said it

is necessary to “do solar at utility scale.”

Therefore, they are trying to focus on prop-

erties where they can produce 100 megawatts

or more.

“For each megawatt, you need ... between

five or 10 acres. I’d calculate it at about

seven, but that will range a little bit, obvious-

ly, based on your topography and the solar

resource in your region,” he said.

At Spring Creek Dairy, he said they plan to

produce 140 megawatts – 100 in Johnstown

Township and 40 south of the county line, in

Bedford Township.

“Altogether, that will provide energy for

about 25,000 homes,” said Carrigan.

He said solar panels do not make noise.

Their inverters do, but those will be located

some distance from property lines and should

not be audible to neighbors, and by design,

solar panels absorb light, not reflect it, so

glare should be minimal.

Carrigan also said they plan to reach out to

the neighbors in the area.

“We want to make sure they’re hearing

directly from us (and) that we capture any

concerns ... maybe there are ways we can

work together to address those concerns with

additional screening, things like that that

might help make it at least a little bit more

palatable and ease any concerns that they

may have.”

Carrigan said that he works as a zoning

administrator in two townships, and a solar

project has been allowed in one of those two.

“It’s not as big as this,” he said, “but (there

are) a lot of the same concerns, and I can tell

you I’ve sat on both sides of having to say,

‘how do we regulate this and address people’s

Local man that customizes

motorcycles for fellow vets to stage

fundraiser at Hastings Summerfest

Jayson Bussa

Editor

If you’re looking for Brad VandenBerg

at Hastings Summerfest this weekend, he

won’t be hard to find. He’ll have a big ol’

Harley Davidson parked next to his booth.

But, it’s not his bike. He’s working on

customizing this 2006 Harley Davidson

883 Sportster for a fellow disabled veteran.

“I’ll have that setting there so people see

how much work I have ahead of myself,”

VandenBerg said.

VandenBerg, who grew up and resides in

the rural southwestern portion of Barry

County, has a burning passion for two

things: Riding his motorcycle and helping

out his fellow veterans. After all, Vanden-

Berg is a veteran himself, a former Sergeant

in the United States Army who was medi-

cally retired from active duty due to injuries

he sustained fighting in the Korangul Val-

Hastings school board looks at next steps

following passing of $17 million bond proposal

Hunter McLaren

Staff Writer

Work is already underway to secure Hast-

ings bond funds approved by voters earlier

this month.

Although voters approved the $17.4 mil-

lion request on Aug. 8, there are still a few

more steps the district has to follow before

it can access and spend the funds.

“We do have a lot of people asking ques-

tions,” Superintendent Matt Goebel said.

“‘Okay, the bond has passed. Should (the

district) get a check tomorrow?’ Well, no. It

doesn’t necessarily work that way.”

Tim Berlin, assistant superintendent of

operations, provided a brief overview of the

process required to secure bond funds at

Monday’s board meeting.

“There’s nobody that would like to get

going faster than Matt and I, I know, but it is

Corrections officer honored for saving

life in county jail suicide attempt

Jayson Bussa

Editor

Details have emerged for the first time

publicly about a Barry County Jail inmate’s

suicide attempt that occurred over the spring

and one corrections officer is being honored

for her role in saving a life.

Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf appeared in

front of the Board of Commissioners on

Tuesday morning to present the Sheriff’s Life

Saving Award to Deputy Susan McCracken,

who has been working in corrections for the

county for just under two years.

McCracken took action during an incident

on April 20 involving an inmate who was

attempting suicide, helping to save the indi-

vidual’s life.

Citing the Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Sheriff’s

office did not release any identifying infor-

mation about the individual involved.

However, Leaf recounted the moments that

played out just before 2 p.m. on April 20

when McCracken observed video surveil-

lance of a holding cell where an inmate was

being held. The inmate was covered by a

blanket on the floor with a sock tied around

their neck attempting suicide.

“The inmate was unresponsive; their face

was blue and they were not breathing,” the

Sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Deputy

See ENERGY, page 3

Hastings SummerFest

Aug. 25-

Downtown Hastings

For a full schedule of events, visit hastingssummerfest.com

Retired Army Sergeant Brad VandenBerg has found riding a motorcycle to be

effective in helping him grapple with the PTSD he acquired during his years of

service. He wants to help other disabled vets to experience the same benefits.

(Photos provided)

See SUMMERFEST, page 2

Hastings school board members Brad Tolles (left) and Michael Nickels (right) dis-

cussed the district’s successful bond proposal Monday. Tolles said he hoped it was a

sign of increased trust in the district. (photo by Hunter McLaren)

See BOND, page 3

Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf presents a Life Saving Award to Deputy Susan

McCracken during Tuesday morning’s meeting of the Board of Commissioners.

McCracken administered life-saving treatment to an inmate that was attempting sui-

cide earlier this year.

See SAVING LIFE, page 2