Editor, The Era-Leader:
I have been reading in The Era-Leader of January 10 all the wonderful accomplishments the Parish Officials have achieved in 2023. 1 didn't see a word regarding the disgraceful things accomplished for financial gain in our part of the parish.
We are still here in the southwest part of the parish where we get no paved roads and were trashed with a 400+ acre solar farm that circles Sunlight Baptist Church which just celebrated its 95th year and use to hold its Easter Sunlight Service overlooking God's beautiful 400 ac. creation -- no more. What a disgrace.
I understand the PLANNING COMISSION let this happen. They must not have an ounce of compassion having no input from the people being affected. WHO APPOINTED THE PLANNING COMMISSION? The Planning Commission should be abolished. They are runing peoples’ lives. Do they have a solar farm next to their land? I used to have deer and other animals roam on my land --- but no more.
Furthermore, no one in our area was even advised it was coming and suddenly one day a partial road re-pavement job took place and ended just before reaching the church, just far enough to allow the solar farm equipment to make its entrance. We didn't even get the whole road repaved. Was this the Parish or the solar company's re-pavement job? If it was the solar company, who did they pay? We had been asking for a decent road for years, but eventually only got a partial.
We have never been even privileged with the name of the solar company called Sunlight Solar. Sunlight Road was originally named "Sunlight" since Sunlight Baptist Church was the only thing on the road. Another disgrace for them to call it "Sunlight Solar".
You can't seem to get a straight answer from anybody, so we don't even know who is responsible for allowing this to happen to God's beautiful 400+ acre creation. It should have been brought before the council when it affects so many people, not the Planning Commission. It was handled by the Council when the previous owner wanted to put in a solar farm. The Council listened to the people and voted no. Then the owner sold his land to a solar company and now the officials are saying you can't tell them what they can do with their land. That's strange when a private citizen can't put up an outhouse without going through a lot of red tape.
If the Council passed an Ordinance establishing a Planning Commission, they should LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND ABOLISH IT BECAUSE IT IS RUINING COMMUNITIES AND LIVES.
Signed by a resident of the forgotten part of Washington Parish.....Wilda Fisher
