- The context: a sudden moratorium proposal after years of debate over utility-scale solar in Noble County.
- Bantam’s three-part strategy: targeted education, strategic mobilization, and disciplined messaging.
- How a local ambassador and organized supporters turned out in force at the decisive commission meeting.
- The outcome: a 2–1 vote defeating the moratorium, supporters outnumbering opponents two to one, and a shifted political narrative that allowed development to move forward.
Rather than amplifying conflict, Bantam’s campaign stayed focused on facts and community benefits. Informational packets armed decision-makers with clear data on local economic impact, landowner partnerships, and investment potential. Supporters submitted letters, signed petitions, and spoke publicly, offering a constructive counternarrative to opposition voices.
On the day of the vote, commissioners witnessed a clear contrast: a respectful, organized coalition of supporters versus increasingly aggressive opposition behavior. That contrast proved decisive. A commissioner who had once opposed the project shifted their stance, breaking the tie and voting against the moratorium. The result preserved the path for solar development in Noble County while demonstrating that community support, when equipped and empowered, can carry the day.
