Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Becomes fifth member of Commission
DAVENPORT — A Wilbur-area farmer whose family has leased land south of Highway 2 between Davenport and Reardan to Triple Oak Power, a Portland-based company looking to construct wind turbines in the greater Davenport area, has been appointed to the Lincoln County Planning Commission.
Mark Sheffels was the Lincoln County Commissioners’ unanimous choice to fill a vacancy on the Commission amongst four applicants presented to the Commissioners by Planner Courtney Thompson Tuesday, June 3.
“I think he would bring a good balance to the Planning Commission,” Commissioner Rob Coffman said. “I’ve known Mark personally my whole life and think he would do an awesome job representing the Planning Commission.”
David Buddrius, Sam Ringwood and Michael Bishop were the other applicants to join Sue Lani Madsen, James Johnson, Margie Hall and Keith Nelson on the Commission.
“Now, when you have a topic that’s controversial on there, then it’s back to, is it our job to try to balance the planning commission (based on wind turbine opinions) or is it our job to try to pick the best person based on their applications to do the job?” Commissioner Scott Hutsell deliberated during discussion Monday.
Hutsell said he’s known Sheffels for over 50 years and concurred with Coffman that he should be the appointment.
“He’s a great thinker (and) he’s done this before,” Hutsell said. “We have some great applicants.”
“Which is crazy, because we couldn’t find anybody before the windmill people showed up,” Coffman responded. “Mark’s a pretty level-headed, thoughtful thinker.”
Sheffels is the first citizen who has leased land to a wind turbine company that’s been appointed to the Planning Commission. The Commissioners rejected the application of another landowner, John Zeimantz of Mondovi, in May.
The Planning Commission’s next meeting, which is expected to heavily feature further discussion of wind turbine setback rules related to the county code, is at 10 a.m. Monday, June 10 at the Public Works Building off State Highway 25.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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