New energy projects, such as solar farms, could help Stark County prosper

Since our Stark County commissioners have voted to block most large-scale solar and wind energy projects from coming here, one has to ask what happened to the party that controls the county and our state.

I remember when support for business and economic development were core values of the Republican Party. Evidently, something has changed drastically when local leaders and their voters turn down new proposed projects offering to bring jobs and energy to our region.

The population of Stark County is around 370,000, the same as it was in 1970. Numerous studies have also shown we are getting older and poorer. Why have our elected county officials and business leaders failed to address this situation?

This region needs to stop clinging to its status as a Rust Belt community and follow the lead of successful and growing areas around us. Pittsburgh, Columbus and Cincinnati have all come back from hard times through innovation, new ideas, technologies, business models and industries.

Even Detroit and Cleveland are coming back with growing downtowns that include new residents, housing, public transportation, sporting events and nightlife.

Stark County and Northeast Ohio should be putting out the welcome mat and encouraging new business and industry to come here. This, in turn, would keep our young people from leaving and attract new residents. Successful communities should not be turning away innovative companies from locating in our region.

Recently, we had new companies express their desire to bring clean energy and industry investments to Stark County. Most of the world has embraced the need for new, clean energy sources and technologies.

Yet the response from our political and business leaders has been negative, if not hostile. Lawn signs in some townships popped up saying "No Solar Farms." Meanwhile, despite the pollution, climate damage and huge corruption scandals, our state leaders continue to embrace coal and oil, even allowing drilling in our parks and wildlife refuges.

Stark County and Ohio are great places to live and raise families, with friendly people, pleasant seasons and a decent cost of living. We could return to growth and prosperity if only our state and county politicians and community leaders finally could embrace the future.

Craig Covey is a former community organizer, mayor, county commissioner and public health educator. Now retired, he is a resident of Stark County involved with local political issues, philanthropy and gardening..

This article originally appeared on The Repository: New energy projects, such as solar farms, could help Stark County prosper