(6/2024) This year the Pennsylvania Department of Tourism was tasked with creating a new branding slogan for PA. My favorite was "You Have a Friend in Pennsylvania". Obviously that one stuck with me and that is the objective of a promotional branding. Will this new branding resonate and plant itself in the minds of potential visitors? Monday, May 20th the Governor visited Scranton to announce the new official branding slogan for PA. All tourist promotional agencies (Destination Gettysburg being one) across PA are to adopt this branding via their promotional resources.

The official slogan that was adopted is "Pennsylvania the Great American Getaway". The political cartoon in the May 24th edition of the Gettysburg Times was very uncomplimentary towards the new branding. The Governor plans to make fifty stops across PA to promote and endorse the new branding. Will he be stopping in Adams County for this initiative? Per my conversation with Karl Pietrzak, the Director of Destination Gettysburg, the answer is NO! So, there must be 50 more appropriate stops than Adams County, one of the most historically significant landmarks in our nation.

Perhaps this parallels the Governor’s lack of insight towards Adams County being a gem as a quality tourist attraction. Of related concern, the Governor recently increased the subsidies for solar arrays in PA. Will this incentivize more industrial solar projects to capture and mar our rural character which is attractive and enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors.

Granted, property owners have a right to use their property as they wish within legal guidelines. But what is Adams County’s capacity to increase industrial solar and not negatively impact one of the county’s leading industries- one that brings millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to Adams County. If the National Military Park can be so stringent about their view scape, why cannot we the citizens and businesses have the same privilege to protect the picturesque views that we and visitors enjoy.

This discussion by no means is to minimize the impact that industrial solar has upon agriculture, Adams County’s other leading economic driver. Industrial solar arrays generally require hundreds of acres of productive farm ground. The millions of dollars of commodities that are produced on Adams County farmland supply the raw materials that support agriculturally related businesses and industries. For example, our feed mills exist in Adams County due to our croplands that are readily available to supply soybeans, corn, wheat, and not to mention the millions of tons of hay produced for the equine industry.

Additionally, most of us are familiar with the CXS railroad that regularly carries freight through the county. The major portion of its freight consists of agricultural commodities and products. If there are not enough commodities produced to transport, it will negatively impact CXS’s presence in Adams County. So, are we ready to say goodbye agricultural and come on in solar?

There are even more questions to answer regarding the effect of solar arrays upon neighboring landowners. Glare is an issue reported in many areas. Rain and storm water runoff is accelerated by solar panels that increase flooding in low and flood prone areas. Solar panels are frequently damaged in hailstorms that lead to leaking toxic material into the ground. Additionally, neighboring properties to solar arrays have experienced property devaluation which becomes evident when neighboring properties try to sell.

We are asked to endure all the negatives that are associated with industrial solar so we can be offered unreliable power, inconsistent power, and economically impractical installations that are only possible with subsidies. The real cost of solar is well beyond our conventional forms of power. Governor Wolf’s goal was for solar power to drive conventional generation plants out of operation aided by stringent and rigid emission standards. Industrial Solar does work, but it is not practical, just as Space X travel to Hawaii will work, but it is not practical. If, and when, we must depend upon solar as our primary source of power generation without subsidies, our electric bills will be extremely expensive and will crush many financially. In the real world industrial solar is not practical.

To this point of the article, I have not been complimentary of solar. Specific applications for individual needs do have merit. For instance, remote areas needing electricity for road signage, large and remote livestock ranches can utilize solar to power electric fences, or individual households and industrial uses through roof-top solar panels (20-to-30-year payback without subsidies).

Moving to something less complicated is fund raising for United Way. If you would like to help individuals or families who lack the basic necessities, giving to United Way of Adams County will accomplish that. United Way of Adams County has set the 2024 Campaign Goal of $171,000 to meet these needs. As of Memorial Day, contributions had reached 99% of that goal. I am confident that that goal will be reached if approximately 100 people decide to donate $10 to $15 before June 12th. Donations can simply be mailed to 123 Buford Avenue, Gettysburg. PA 17325 or hand delivered to the same address. A huge thanks needs to go to all those who generously gave to the 2024 Campaign.

Another agency that is extremely helpful to many United States Veterans in Adams County is our local Veterans Administration Office. To improve services to our veterans we have relocated the VA Office from the second floor of the Courthouse to the first floor. The former Elections Office, following a redesign, is now the new office for the VA. This new location is accessible without the use of any stairs as one enters from Baltimore Street. The office renovations were completed entirely by our maintenance staff.

With the completion of that office, our Courthouse Maintenance Crew and Staff have completed the remodeling of all the offices located on the first floor of the Courthouse. After 40 years of daily use, all these offices needed upgrading and modernizing. The redesign and upgrades have made better and safer work environments and have enhanced our ability to serve the public.

Enjoy your summer and take time to be safe.