Residents fire complaints to Apex at Neosho County meeting

Heated discussion about a proposed wind generation facility drew a rebuke from a Neosho County Commissioner Friday morning.

Commissioner Jennifer Orr warned people against sarcasm and hostility during public comments at Friday’s commission meeting.

Opponent Dustie Elsworth raised an issue with a document that had been submitted to the state, which said Apex Clean Energy does not own or lease agricultural land. Apex plans to build 100 to 130 electricity-generating wind turbines in the Neosho Ridge project in the southwestern part of the county.

Apex Senior Development Manager Jade Scheele said Elsworth should have brought the question to Apex directly, and said opponents are trying to portray Apex as a bad company.

“We’re not here to pull the wool over your eyes,” Scheele said.