Monthly meetings of the Carroll County Quorum Court have been acrimonious for most of the past two years as a debate raged over the construction of an industrial wind energy project in the county.

The quorum court’s meeting on Tuesday, March 18, was almost jovial by comparison as the county’s 11 justices of the peace unanimously approved the first reading of an amended ordinance that would place a moratorium on future industrial wind and solar energy projects, then bid a fond if reluctant farewell to retiring District 1 JP Jack Deaton.

The proposed moratorium, sponsored by District 7 JP Kellie Matt and District 10 JP Jerry King, was amended from its original version to stipulate that Scout Clean Energy’s Nimbus Project in eastern Carroll County will include 30 wind turbines and that the moratorium will not apply to the Nimbus Project.

The project will include 30 wind turbines — four of which the company says will be 591 feet tall and the other 26 that the company says will be 644 feet tall. The turbines will be placed on private property, the owners of which have signed lease agreements with Scout.

Near the close of Tuesday’s meeting, JPs approved a resolution declaring a vacancy in the District 1 seat that Deaton has held for 14 years. Matt paused for several seconds before voting yes on the resolution and King jokingly asked: “Do I have to?” before voting yes.

After the resolution was approved, District 6 JP Craig Hicks presented Deaton with a plaque in recognition of his service to the county.