By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Zeeland Township has taken an official stand against the proposed Silver Maple solar project, and is kicking in additional funding to fight the development at the state level.
The Township Board on April 28 voted 6-0 in favor of a resolution stating its opposition to the $330 million, 200-megawatt project that’s been proposed by RWE Clean Energy in Zeeland and Jamestown townships.
“This, in a sense, memorializes what was kind of decided (by the board) a month ago. It puts it on paper now,” Township Manager Josh Eggleston said.
RWE filed its application for Silver Maple with the Michigan Public Service Commission April 3. It has secured leases on 52 parcels, totaling 1,914 acres of farmland. The company plans to build the project on 1,127 acres of fenced-in land, according to its application document.
The RWE application is currently under review by the MPSC to determine its completeness. A pre-hearing before an administrative law judge is scheduled for June 4.
In a separate action, the board voted
6-0 to authorize Eggleston to spend up to $100,000 so the township can build its case before the MPSC. That amount includes $75,000 from intervenor funds RWE paid the township when it submitted its application for Silver Maple, a fee that was required under Public Act 233, the state law by which the company is pursuing approval of the project.
“We believe decisions that affect our land, our homes and our future are best made as close to the community as possible,” Township Trustee Dave Barry said. “You see, Zeeland Township is unique in its character. It’s agricultural, rural and deeply rooted, and we’re committed to protecting it.”
“We may not have final authority, but we do have a voice and we intend to use it,” Barry added.
The board votes followed a two-hour closed-door session where the board heard a legal opinion from Bloom Sluggett, the law firm that was contracted last fall to guide the township through the process of developing a solar ordinance. Bloom Sluggett has filed a petition to intervene on behalf of the township in contesting RWE’s application for Silver Maple.
The Township Board also voted April 28 to enter into a cooperation and confidentiality agreement with Jamestown Township where the townships and their legal teams may “share information on a confidential basis concerning issues of common interest.” The Jamestown board approved a similar agreement a week earlier.
“We can compare notes, we can strategize on litigation strategy, building toward that unified opposition,” Bloom Sluggett attorney David Eberle said.
Jamestown Township is being represented by the Grand Rapids-based firm Mika Meyers. Eberle said the two firms have a good working relationship.
Some residents who oppose having Bloom Sluggett representing the township before the MPSC questioned the process by which the firm was selected.
“I couldn’t find anything where you guys had other proposals, interviews or followed any of the proper procedures,” said Dan Kerkstra, who is running for township supervisor in the August primary.
Kerkstra and some other residents earlier called for the township to retain Foster Swift, a Lansing-based firm that is representing more than 70 townships and counties in challenging a 2024 MPSC order overriding the authority of local units of government to regulate energy projects in their communities. Their case is now before the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Township attorney Ronald Bultje last fall recommended the board seek outside counsel to help the township work on a solar ordinance. The firm Bultje is employed by, Dickinson Wright, is representing RWE in its application with the MPSC, although Bultje himself is not involved in the case.
In a memo to Eggleston and former Township Supervisor Tom Oonk, Bultje recommended the township consider three firms: Bloom Sluggett, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes of Lansing and Bauckham Thall Seeber Kaufman & Koches of Kalamazoo.
On Oct. 7, 2025, the Township Board voted unanimously to authorize Eggleston to select a firm to address the solar issue. Eggleston asked for authority to make the selection to avoid any delays in hiring a firm. The manager solicited proposals from four firms, from which Bloom Sluggett was chosen.
“One did not respond, one did not demonstrate that they were able to do it. Another one just didn’t impress me,” Eggleston said.
Based in Grand Rapids, Bloom Sluggett is a firm that represents more than 80 municipalities across the state, including the cities of Coopersville, Ionia, Plainwell, South Haven and Kentwood, as well as Georgetown and Wright townships in Ottawa County and the Allegan County townships of Dorr, Leighton and Martin, according to the firm’s website.
“Our attorneys have a long history of representing intervenors at the Michigan Public Service Commission on matters related to facility siting and electric rates,” Eberle said.
The board also discussed possibly hiring a communications firm to help the township with its messaging. The township received two proposals – one from Sabo PR, a Grand Rapids-based firm that has worked with multiple West Michigan municipalities, and ChangeMakers, a national PR firm with an office in Grand Rapids.
Sabo PR offered its services for a fee of $4,000 per month for 12 months, while ChangeMakers offered packages ranging from $7,500 to $15,000 per month for 12 months, according to township documents.
Board members seemed to think both proposals were too pricey.
“One of them was equivalent to what we pay the manager in a year,” Treasurer Melissa Veldheer said. “I can say, yes, we need training, because I think a lot of this stuff might be new, so I think there might be value in having unified communication from the township, done in a professional matter. But I’d like a few other options.”
“It needs to be our voice, not a contracted-out voice on behalf of the township. It needs to be our words,” Veldheer added.
The township is about to begin work on its strategic plan with consultant Double Haul Solutions. Eggleston said that company offers communications training as an option the township could look at.
Zeeland Record
Zeeland Township has taken an official stand against the proposed Silver Maple solar project, and is kicking in additional funding to fight the development at the state level.
The Township Board on April 28 voted 6-0 in favor of a resolution stating its opposition to the $330 million, 200-megawatt project that’s been proposed by RWE Clean Energy in Zeeland and Jamestown townships.
“This, in a sense, memorializes what was kind of decided (by the board) a month ago. It puts it on paper now,” Township Manager Josh Eggleston said.
RWE filed its application for Silver Maple with the Michigan Public Service Commission April 3. It has secured leases on 52 parcels, totaling 1,914 acres of farmland. The company plans to build the project on 1,127 acres of fenced-in land, according to its application document.
The RWE application is currently under review by the MPSC to determine its completeness. A pre-hearing before an administrative law judge is scheduled for June 4.
In a separate action, the board voted
6-0 to authorize Eggleston to spend up to $100,000 so the township can build its case before the MPSC. That amount includes $75,000 from intervenor funds RWE paid the township when it submitted its application for Silver Maple, a fee that was required under Public Act 233, the state law by which the company is pursuing approval of the project.
“We believe decisions that affect our land, our homes and our future are best made as close to the community as possible,” Township Trustee Dave Barry said. “You see, Zeeland Township is unique in its character. It’s agricultural, rural and deeply rooted, and we’re committed to protecting it.”
“We may not have final authority, but we do have a voice and we intend to use it,” Barry added.
The board votes followed a two-hour closed-door session where the board heard a legal opinion from Bloom Sluggett, the law firm that was contracted last fall to guide the township through the process of developing a solar ordinance. Bloom Sluggett has filed a petition to intervene on behalf of the township in contesting RWE’s application for Silver Maple.
The Township Board also voted April 28 to enter into a cooperation and confidentiality agreement with Jamestown Township where the townships and their legal teams may “share information on a confidential basis concerning issues of common interest.” The Jamestown board approved a similar agreement a week earlier.
“We can compare notes, we can strategize on litigation strategy, building toward that unified opposition,” Bloom Sluggett attorney David Eberle said.
Jamestown Township is being represented by the Grand Rapids-based firm Mika Meyers. Eberle said the two firms have a good working relationship.
Some residents who oppose having Bloom Sluggett representing the township before the MPSC questioned the process by which the firm was selected.
“I couldn’t find anything where you guys had other proposals, interviews or followed any of the proper procedures,” said Dan Kerkstra, who is running for township supervisor in the August primary.
Kerkstra and some other residents earlier called for the township to retain Foster Swift, a Lansing-based firm that is representing more than 70 townships and counties in challenging a 2024 MPSC order overriding the authority of local units of government to regulate energy projects in their communities. Their case is now before the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Township attorney Ronald Bultje last fall recommended the board seek outside counsel to help the township work on a solar ordinance. The firm Bultje is employed by, Dickinson Wright, is representing RWE in its application with the MPSC, although Bultje himself is not involved in the case.
In a memo to Eggleston and former Township Supervisor Tom Oonk, Bultje recommended the township consider three firms: Bloom Sluggett, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes of Lansing and Bauckham Thall Seeber Kaufman & Koches of Kalamazoo.
On Oct. 7, 2025, the Township Board voted unanimously to authorize Eggleston to select a firm to address the solar issue. Eggleston asked for authority to make the selection to avoid any delays in hiring a firm. The manager solicited proposals from four firms, from which Bloom Sluggett was chosen.
“One did not respond, one did not demonstrate that they were able to do it. Another one just didn’t impress me,” Eggleston said.
Based in Grand Rapids, Bloom Sluggett is a firm that represents more than 80 municipalities across the state, including the cities of Coopersville, Ionia, Plainwell, South Haven and Kentwood, as well as Georgetown and Wright townships in Ottawa County and the Allegan County townships of Dorr, Leighton and Martin, according to the firm’s website.
“Our attorneys have a long history of representing intervenors at the Michigan Public Service Commission on matters related to facility siting and electric rates,” Eberle said.
The board also discussed possibly hiring a communications firm to help the township with its messaging. The township received two proposals – one from Sabo PR, a Grand Rapids-based firm that has worked with multiple West Michigan municipalities, and ChangeMakers, a national PR firm with an office in Grand Rapids.
Sabo PR offered its services for a fee of $4,000 per month for 12 months, while ChangeMakers offered packages ranging from $7,500 to $15,000 per month for 12 months, according to township documents.
Board members seemed to think both proposals were too pricey.
“One of them was equivalent to what we pay the manager in a year,” Treasurer Melissa Veldheer said. “I can say, yes, we need training, because I think a lot of this stuff might be new, so I think there might be value in having unified communication from the township, done in a professional matter. But I’d like a few other options.”
“It needs to be our voice, not a contracted-out voice on behalf of the township. It needs to be our words,” Veldheer added.
The township is about to begin work on its strategic plan with consultant Double Haul Solutions. Eggleston said that company offers communications training as an option the township could look at.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
