County Judge Spreading Word About Potential Windfall for Schools from Remote Wind Farms

County Judge Dan Mueller has been meeting with the local school boards about possibly leasing the county’s school land in Baylor County for a wind farm.

The State of Texas granted the 4,200 acres of land to Fayette County in the 1800s to be held for the establishment and benefit of public schools. All financial proceeds from the land goes to the five public school districts in Fayette County.

The land currently generates a small sum of money from cattle and hunting leases. The company ENGIE wants to lease it for a wind farm.

“It’s very premature,” Muellet said in an interview with the Record this week. “This company approached me a few weeks ago. They already have wind turbines in Baylor County. All the surrounding landowners have leased their land. This company will come before the Commissioners Court sometime after the first of the year. If this project becomes a reality, all of the money goes to the school districts.”

Mueller said the lease could generate $800,000 a year once the wind farm becomes operational. The company would pay a smaller amount during development and construction, which he said could take six to seven years. The proceeds would be split according to school size, with La Grange ISD collecting the most.

Mueller has already met with the Flatonia and Schulenburg school boards about the possible lease.

“I want the school boards to know that this might happen,” Mueller said.

Mueller said he wants input from the school districts before the commissioners court makes a decision.

Earlier this year, the Commissioners Court signed a resolution opposing wind energy developments in Fayette County. That came in response to another company, Apex Clean Energy, who had contacted some landowners about building a wind farm here.

Mueller said Baylor County is very different than Fayette.

“People up there are not opposed to this in any way,” he said. “It’s desolate. There are very few houses. My position from day one is I’m not opposed to wind turbines. I’m opposed to wind turbines in Fayette County.”