When a wind farm — or other alternative energy development — inevitably blows into Wood County, the commissioners should be prepared to embrace it and use it to transform schools.

Tony Zartman, deputy director of programs and operations for the Land and Liberty Coalition, gave a presentation recently to the Wood County Commissioners.

Zartmansaid he was a former Paulding County commissioner, holding the job for 12 years.

“I’m extremely passionate about alternative energy and the benefits … for the community,” he said.

He was asked by the Ohio Conservative Energy Forum to share his knowledge and experience. The forum and the Land and Liberty Coalition are both non-profits, Zartman said.

The goal is to develop alternative energy and protect the property rights of individuals who are seeking to lease their property.

He gave the commissioners some background on Paulding County.

“We are an extremely flat, rural community that is dependent on agriculture for 100% of our economy,” Zartman said. “We have very little commercial development and we recognize the fact that we probably never will because we don’t have the employees.”

He became a commissioner in 2009 when “we were nearly broke as a community.”

Wind energy companies started looking at Paulding County for development.

“Because of the fact that we’re flat, very few trees, and fairly high actually as far as elevation.”

The commissioners, though, were skeptial, Zartman said.

“We were kind of scared, unprepared really,” he said. “The main issue that we were being questioned about was how this entity would be taxed, if we allow it into our community.”

They developed language and set up an energy zone.

“Those payments to the schools would be seen as new money by the state and wouldn’t be subject to the state formula funding.

“The formula funding money would not decrease because of this development. That was a major issue for us.”

Within months, there were two wind farms under development. There are now 250 turbines, Zartman said.

“And it has completely changed our community as far as the economics. Land owners absolutely love the payments they are receiving. The school districts — the difference that it’s made in them. They were really hurting back in 2009 and ’10.”

They’ve hired additional teachers, are offering new programming, including after-school activities.

“Our teacher-student ratio has dropped considerably. It’s just completely changed our community,” Zartman said. “My passion, when I left the commissioners office, was I want to let other communities see this.”

He was asked to join the conservative energy forum and help educate communities.

“I’ve talked to so many commissioners throughout the state who claim they are huge property rights advocates —when it comes to their property.

“Then they say they’re not going to allow their neighbor to have a wind farm on their property because they don’t want to see it.”

Zartman said the commissioners should be prepared.

“Developers are looking at every county in the state — and I mean every county,” he said. “You guys will be asked to consider development.

“You’ll be asked by the developers to consider a pilot payment program. You’re going to be asked by your land owners to allow it. And you’re also going to be asked by the anti-wind group to not allow it. It places you right in the middle.”

He said he was a the meeting to educate and offer help.

Commissioner Ted Bowlus asked him to explain the pilot payment program

Zartman said it allows the commissioners to cap the payment per megawatt that would go to the taxing district and/or the general fund of the county.

He said $9,000 is the cap.

The commissioners can set the service fee that would go into the county general fund.

For example, if $2,000 went into the county general fund, the remaining $7,000 would then be distributed in that taxing district according to the percentage of millage that’s in that district.

“It’s a little confusing when you first start out on it., but it’s a wonderful program,” Zartman said. “We have not had any complaints.”

He said that his home is in the middle of a wind development.

“It’s as commonplace as the electric lines that are running alongside every road in our community,” he said.

Zartman said solar is a “little different animal.”

Commissioner Craig LaHote asked if township trustees were allowed to stop the developments.

“The township doesn’t have legal authority to dictate what’s going to happen,” Zartman said. “That falls back on your shoulders.”

According to literature provided by Zartman, the Ohio Conservative Energy Forum was founded in 2015 to provide a forum for conservatives to discuss a diverse energy portfolio.