A zoning change for a proposed solar array project by BTB Energy Solutions, west of Danville Metal Stamping and Lynch Road, and North of I-74; was voted down for a final time Tuesday evening (Aug 20th) by the Danville City Council. The Planning and Zoning Commission had voted to a 3-3 tie, meaning the zoning change was not recommended. A supermajority of ten ‘yes’ votes was then needed by the full Council, and there were only nine. Carolyn Wands, Rick Strebing, Eve Ludwig, and Sherry Pickering all voted ‘no,’ and Heidi Wilson was not in attendance.
Daniel Boyd addresses Danville City Council prior to their turning down of BTB Energy Solutions’ proposed solar array project.
Daniel Boyd, who lives next to where the solar array would have been, spoke against it with some other area residents before Planning and Zoning, and spoke against it before the full Council. He says the lesson here is if you don’t like something, speak up.
AUDIO: And we spoke our voice, and we narrowly won by a small margin, but we won. And that is the main thing. We’re very excited about this; and encourage other people to fight for your rights, and go to the meetings, whenever they have them, council meetings, in your town or your city.
Meanwhile, the newly reformed Danville Rescue organization, which goes back to the Midwest Christian Training Center first created in 1979, and then the Danville Rescue Mission in ’89; gave an update on their new efforts to assist the homeless. Pastor Christopher Cowen says the headquarters continues to be the old Fairchild School on the southwest corner of Fairchild and Bowman, with their first priority being to rehab and reopen the women’s shelter at 213 Bowman. Cowen says additional efforts will now be taken by the new board concerning mental health issues as well.
Pastor Christopher Cowen addresses Danville City Council on Danville Rescue’s, formerly Danville Rescue Mission, latest effort on helping the homeless as a reformed organization.
AUDIO: And so that’s of importance to us, because we know we want to help the whole man. We want to be comprehensive. Not just food, not just shelter, but also mental health; so they can sustain what we’re teaching them.
Cowen says a special media day will be held by Danville Rescue in September, informing the public of their latest efforts. You can go to rescuedanville.com for that future announcement.
Also Tuesday evening, the full Council officially approved the honorary naming of Walnut Street from Main to Harrison as Vicky Haugen Way, in honor of the longtime developer’s efforts for the Danville area; and a new collective bargaining contract was approved with Teamsters Local 26 workers at Danville Mass Transit.
