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Board Hires Firm to Review Solar Farm Construction Documents

January 19, 2026/Newspaper Staff/

Montgomery County Board Meeting | December 9, 2025

Article Summary: The Montgomery County Board approved an agreement with Hurst-Rosche to review construction documents for a new solar project. The engineering firm will provide independent oversight for the Montgomery County Solar project east of Litchfield.

Solar Review Key Points:

  • Project Location: The solar facility is located on Route 16 east of Litchfield (Dusitn Ellinger/Summit Ridge Energy).

  • Scope of Work: Hurst-Rosche will evaluate the application against the county ordinance, attend meetings, and perform construction inspections.

  • Cost: The review services are capped at a not-to-exceed fee of $3,500, which will be reimbursed by the petitioner.

The Montgomery County Board on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, moved forward with independent oversight for a commercial solar development.

Development & Personnel Committee Chairman Chad Ruppert presented a proposal from Hurst-Rosche to review construction documents for “Montgomery County Solar.” The project is located on Route 16 east of Litchfield.

The board voted to approve the agreement with Hurst-Rosche for a not-to-exceed fee of $3,500. The scope of work includes evaluating the application for compliance with the county’s solar ordinance, reporting findings, and performing construction inspections to verify adherence to the permit. The cost of the review will be reimbursed by the solar developer.

Ruppert also noted that recent state “energy omnibus” legislation will require future changes to the county’s wind and solar ordinances and lays the framework for regulating battery storage.

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