RESEARCH is all I can say to any Tama County resident, Taxpayer, and Voter. There is a lot of misinformation being printed, talked about, published trying to get you and others to believe taxpayers want and need more representation in Tama County. REAL FACTS are what you need to make your decision Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

I have heard this a lot, “Why did Tama County go to a five-member Board of Supervisors?” The reason is not for “need more representation,” it is because of a group of individuals who did not want wind turbines near their real estate; farm or acreage; namely Tama County Against Turbines; more known as TCAT. RESEARCH.

Tama County Against Turbines leaders began with Jon Winkelpleck and Richard Arp, obtained from Board of Supervisor (BOS) minutes dated April 25, 2022. Then came Janet Wilson and Kathy Krafka-Harkema from the May 2, 2022 minutes; each meeting thereafter, you can find information where TCAT had attended the meeting. MINUTES ARE PUBLIC RECORDS, if you cannot get them from the Tama County Board of Supervisors website (tamacounty.iowa.gov/supervisors), you can go directly to the Tama County Auditor’s office and request the information. Plain and simple. TCAT’s goal was and continues to be preventing any wind turbines in Tama County and now TCAT is working to prevent landowners from having solar. The BOS made the decision; no change of ordinances was needed at this time. May 31, 2022 BOS members were continued to be harassed; bullied even after their decision was made, no change. Deputies started to attend BOS meetings due to the hostility in the room. RESEARCH.

Salt Creek Wind LLC had started sometime in 2019, signing agreements with landowners and getting funds in place; investing somewhere of $12 to $15 million in the project. There were commitments in place, contracts signed. Wind turbines were coming to Tama County. Heather Knebel is now shown in the minutes. She most likely was at previous meeting but just was not identified in the BOS minutes. The minutes to check are dated May 31, 2022. You will see Knebel, our 3rd District Board of Supervisor, is a huge part of TCAT. RESEARCH.

August 26, 2022 Knebel filed a lawsuit in Tama County District Court (CVCV008578) against the Board of Adjustment Tama County; one of many lawsuits filed to include TCAT lawsuits to stop Salt Creek Wind LLC and any other company to come into Tama County with Wind Turbines. RESEARCH. To be continued.

Barb Jordan, Toledo