Brendan Shea, Madison County Commissioner

05/28/2026

This action by Governor Dewine pauses the sales tax exemption for new data centers, not the ability of local governments to give property tax abatements. Nevertheless, it is a good step and long overdue.

I will repeat my previous statement:

I will not support one dollar of taxpayer money subsidizing data centers through property tax abatements or any other means.

After Monday, Ohio will not give any new data centers its major tax break for the foreseeable future.

05/27/2026

Today, the Ohio Supreme Court issued its decision in our appeal of the Oak Run Solar project. While the decision is nuanced, its effect appears promising.

Although not definitive for the future of the project, in a 6-1 ruling the Court agreed with our argument that Oak Run's failure to provide "photographic simulations or artist's pictorial sketches of the proposed facility from public vantage points" prevented the Ohio Power Siting Board from fulfilling its statutory obligations in considering the full impact of the project.

Of our three other application deficiency arguments pertaining to water-quality, wildlife surveys, and fire safety, six justices agreed that these pieces were improperly omitted while a minority of three agreed that we were harmed by their absence. Consequently, these portions of Oak Run Solar's application were upheld.

Nevertheless, the Court remanded the application back to the Power Siting Board. If it chooses to proceed, Oak Run will be required to submit the missing simulations prior to another public hearing on the visual impacts of the project. That public hearing cannot occur for at least 45 days after Oak Run submits the missing information, which means it could be several months before the Power Siting Board votes again on the certificate. That timeline is highly disadvantageous for Oak Run.

Last week, Oak Run submitted a request for expedited ruling to the Ohio Supreme Court. That submission read in part, "Oak Run faces fatal time pressures that may result in the failure of the Project even if the Board’s decision is ultimately upheld. Oak Run requests a ruling as soon as possible in order to have certainty before making imminent critical investments that are required to meet the Project’s contractual deadlines. Without a ruling, the Project will be effectively abandoned due to the lack of certainty on the permit’s validity."

While they didn't say it in their submission to the Court, the reality is Oak Run is quickly running out of time to be eligible for the federal solar subsidies. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act included a provision that any industrial solar project that has not begun construction by July 4th, 2026 must be completely constructed and fully operational by December 31st, 2027 to receive the Section 48E Clean Electricity Investment Credit.

It is virtually impossible to see how Oak Run could legally begin construction by July 4th, just five and a half weeks away. And if they miss that deadline, it is equally impossible to imagine how the project could be constructed and fully operational by December 31st, 2027.

While I cannot yet say for sure, it is my fervent hope that today's decision signifies the end for Oak Run Solar. As always, I will provide any further updates as they come available.

The majority on the Ohio Supreme Court said that plans for a massive solar project in Madison County did not include adequate visual plans.

05/07/2026

In last year's budget bill, the General Assembly voted to repeal Ohio's Data Center Sales Tax Exemption. Governor Dewine then vetoed that legislation.

I strongly urge the General Assembly to stand with everyday Ohioans, agriculture, and rural communities by overriding the veto and ending the sales tax exemption for multi-billion and trillion-dollar tech companies once and for all.

In a recent interview, Senator Bernie Moreno outlined his expectations for companies looking to build data centers in Ohio, including that "they're not taking a cent of taxpayer dollars for incentives" and that "they're not taking prime farmland."

I couldn't agree more with Senator Moreno.

Concerned about their health, safety, farmland, water, environment, electric rates, and overall quality of life, Ohioans do not want their elected officials subsidizing data centers with sales tax exemptions, property tax abatements, or other methods.

Here in Madison County, I will not support one dollar of taxpayer money subsidizing tech companies.

Ohio Farm Bureau is urging its members to contact their Ohio legislators to ask them to repeal the Data Center Sales Tax Exemption.

04/29/2026

I will be attending this open house tomorrow and have some of the same questions and concerns as many local property owners and residents. Details below...

04/28/2026

Today marks six months since the Ohio Supreme Court heard oral arguments in our appeal of Oak Run Solar.

The original timeline we were given for a decision was six months, but that's just a general guideline. For instance, the Court just issued its landmark ruling in Kingwood Solar on March 31st, over a year after hearing oral arguments in that case.

Despite all of the flyers, newspaper ads, and Facebook posts from Oak Run Solar about all the things the project will do for the community, the project's status hasn't changed. We're still awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court.

Opponents of Oak Run Solar in Madison County argued in front of the Ohio Supreme Court that the Ohio Power Siting Board accepted an incomplete application.

04/09/2026

Very thankful that this wasn't more serious and that no one was hurt. It certainly makes the video I posted last month of Chief Justice Kennedy questioning Oak Run Solar's fire safety plan hit closer to home. I hope the Supreme Court is watching!

An Amazon warehouse west of Columbus was evacuated after a fire on the roof, believed to involve 75-100 solar panels.

03/24/2026

The commissioners recently passed the below resolution I introduced to oppose and intervene in the proposed Sloopy Solar Project. While this project would be entirely in Clark County, it would immediately border thousands of acres in Union Township down to Paint Township, in Madison County. So, almost all of the concerns we have about the projects within our borders (e.g. property values, environmental impacts, agricultural economy, roads, viewsheds, etc.) apply to this project as well.

Any new large- or small-scale solar remains indefinitely banned in Madison County. In September of last year, Clark County passed a two-year ban on large-scale solar. Sloopy is exempt because certain application requirements were submitted before the law changed in late 2021, making it partially grandfathered.

The Clark County Commissioners and Harmony Township Trustees are also formally opposing and intervening in the case. The Union Township Trustees have passed a resolution of opposition, as have numerous other townships in Clark County.

The Ohio Power Siting Board will hold a public hearing on the project this Thursday, March 26th. Details here: https://opsb.ohio.gov/news/opsb-schedules-local-hearing-for-proposed-solar-facility-in-clark-county

More details about the proposed project, including a project map, can be accessed here: https://sloopysolar.invenergy.com/

03/20/2026

It's great to see Madison County 4H enrollment increase for the second year in a row!

There are 119 Cloverbuds and 438 4-Hers this year, a 9% and 6% increase from 2025. In our family, we're excited to have five participating this year!

Thank you to the Madison County Commissioners for declaring this week Madison County 4-H Week. The Commissioners continued support of 4-H and Youth in Madison County allow over 600 youth to participate.

03/05/2026

I've received many inquiries recently about the status of Bill Gates' Oak Run Solar project. We are still eagerly awaiting what we hope will be a favorable decision from the Ohio Supreme Court.

We were originally told to expect as much as six months after oral arguments, which occurred on October 28, 2025, for a decision. But there's no timeline. For instance, it's been almost a year since oral arguments were heard in Kingwood Solar, a project that was proposed for Greene County, and the Supreme Court has yet to render a decision in that landmark case.

Meanwhile, Oak Run Solar has recently run ads in the Madison Messenger touting the benefits it claims the project WILL bring to Madison County. If Oak Run Solar is really interested in educating people, they should at least acknowledge our appeal rather than pretending it's a done deal and confusing the public.

As a reminder of the egregious ommissions in Oak Run Solar's application and the glaring shortcomings in their case, I'll be posting additional clips like this one in the coming days, picking up where we left off in the fall...

01/26/2026

Level 2 Snow Alert 1/26/2026 9:30 A.M.

Per Sheriff John Swaney, Madison County has been reduced from a Level 3 Snow Emergency to a Level 2 Snow Alert. All roads in Madison County are declared hazardous with icy spots, blowing and drifting snow and low visibility. Only those who deem it necessary to travel should be on the roadways. All employees are encouraged to contact their place of employment to see if they should report for work. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office urges extreme caution be used while traveling.

01/25/2026

Level 3 Snow Emergency 1/25/2026 11:30 A.M.

Per Sheriff John Swaney, Madison County is now under a Level 3 Snow Emergency. Due to extremely hazardous conditions caused by ice, blowing and drifting snow, low visibility and / or extremely low temperatures, all or certain roads in Madison County are closed to all but emergency and essential personnel.

No one should be on the roadways during these conditionsunless it is absolutely necessary. All employees should contact their place of employment to seeif they should report to work.

All non-emergency and non-essential personnel traveling theroadways during the level three snow emergency may be subject to arrest or prosecution undersection 2917.13 of the Ohio Revised Code for misconduct during an emergency.