Maureen Carpenter, Barren County Economic Authority director, speaks at a public announcement on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. Carpenter expressed recent concern regarding actions taken by the Glasgow EPB that could jeopardize a relationship with the Tennessee Valley Authority, main partner in economic development efforts.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
GLASGOW, Ky. – The Glasgow Electric Plant Board of Directors recently took action to litigate the Tennessee Valley Authority, and that move has caused concern for authorities in Barren County’s economic sector.
Contemporary Amperex Technologies (CATL) purchased the former LSC Communications building and adjoining property last year. The company released limited information, and cited that they were seeking an opportunity to locate to Glasgow.
Members of the Glasgow Electric Plant Board moved at a Jan. 26 meeting to begin the process of exiting an agreement with the TVA, which would ultimately weaken the city’s relationship with the energy supplier.
William Ray, GEPB superintendent, said the factory was offered certain incentives to locate to Glasgow. One of those incentives include the Long Term Agreement that the board is seeking to exit. Those incentives are exclusive to TVA.
“That’s been offered to them, and they have accepted that offer as a part of their decision to purchase the property,” Ray said.
Maureen Carpenter, executive director of the Barren County Economic Authority, said the city’s relationship with TVA is essential for economic growth – especially for the acquisition of this project.
“If this community goes back on their word on something that was promised to this company, we will not see another project. It will set us back 15 years of reputation that ‘hey, they made this promise. They didn’t keep their word,’” Carpenter said. “And you’re done.”
The board members jeopardizing the GEPB’s relationship with TVA are DT Froedge, Marlin Witcher and Glenn Pritchard. Those three board members voted to hire attorneys in an attempt to back out of a 20-year agreement with the energy provider.
But continued evidence suggests the TVA was the largest factor for CATL to locate to Glasgow.
“So if the decisions that are being made now impact those promises, we will be done,” Carpenter said.
The company’s vision describes their commitment to “deliver excellent contribution to green energy resolution for mankind,” according to CATL’s website.
The company is the key supplier for Germany-based BMW vehicles.
TVA’s renewable energy opportunities are a large factor in their attractiveness for this industry.
Harold Armstrong, Glasgow mayor, appointed two of the three board members that made the decision to sue TVA. He also fought to keep the third that has served as the leader of the other two – Froedge.
Tag Taylor, former board member, was a voice of dissent in comparison to the other three. Taylor was not reconsidered for a reappointment, and the mayor said he simply didn’t want to reappoint him.
Pritchard said the mayor was “the most influential man” when it came to recruiting the factory.
The unsupported claim caused a disagreement in the meeting because certain board members said others were instrumental in the process too. Some of those others included Micheal Hale, Barren County’s judge executive, and Carpenter.
“It takes a community to win a project, and there are so many people involved,” Carpenter said.
The mayor actually requested entrance to the EPB to discuss the matter that evening. The judge executive did not appear at the meeting, according to a text sent to WCLU News.
“I watched the meeting not sure how I could have spoke unless they sent me zoom link!” Hale said.
Hale said he became interested in the meeting when his name was mentioned several times. Armstrong read a text sent by WCLU News, but he never responded or followed up with a phone call.
Other impediments in the announcement include limitations faced in the international economic world. Certain sanctions were recently implemented by the United States and China against each other.
It’s unclear why action is being taken to jeopardize the city’s relationship with TVA when the actions could result in the loss of a major industrial project for Glasgow and Barren County.
