New Bloomfield board hears pitch for Guthrie Solar Project

Bo McGee with the Guthrie Solar Project gave a presentation to New Bloomfield school board members about the potential and future of New Bloomfield if the project were to be based out of the town.
Bo McGee with the Guthrie Solar Project gave a presentation to New Bloomfield school board members about the potential and future of New Bloomfield if the project were to be based out of the town.

NEW BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - The New Bloomfield R-3 School District Board of Education heard from Irl Scissors and Bo McGee regarding the Guthrie Solar Project at Thursday night's meeting.

The Guthrie Solar Project is an innovative solar storage project proposed for Callaway County that will have a capacity of up to 100 megawatts of solar energy.

"Nearly four-in-five voters in Callaway County believe government support of renewable energy is important, with over half saying government support is very important," McGee said.

Under old business, board members looked at COVID-19 cases in the district and their Safe Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Service Plan. They decided to amend the plan to include the Callaway County Health Department's recommendation on close contacts and quarantines.

The district will constantly monitor the number of positive cases occurring within the individual school buildings. Based on the building's positivity rate, it will fall into a green, yellow or red level.

Each level will have corresponding mitigation protocols. The next school board meeting will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 16 in the central office boardroom.