Sapphire Renewable | WA, Whitman County

Engagement Strategy

The following is our strategic analysis based on the community assessment for navigating approval in Desoto, Texas.

BAM Analysis

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Brave. The strengths that give us confidence to move forward.

1. Economic Development. Based on local forums and other public comments, residents are eager to attract investment to Desoto in order to increase the local tax base to fund education, parks, and other municipal services.

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2. Grid Resilience. The area was hit hard with outages and is eager for solutions.

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3. History with the energy industry. Texas, and Dallas in particular, has a long history of partnering with energy suppliers and storage facilities and most municipalities have developed positive attitudes toward such projects.

Alert. The dangers that we must overcome or avoid.

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1. Property location. There may be some concern that the property is located in a mostly residential area, close to a school, with paths that students use and an undeveloped park..

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2. Opportunity Cost. White Desoto is eager for economic development, it may wish to prioritize other projects more in line with its goal of establishing Desoto as a leisure, recreation, and family-oriented destination.

3. Growing affluence of residents. Desoto attracts an increasingly upward-mobile population that might consider developments like this unattractive for the future prospects of the city.

Motivated. The opportunities that we should pursue for success.

1. Partner with the high school. We need the school to be an advocate, and we can partner with them on site design as well as supporting STEM programming.

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2. Benefits to the community. A successful project of this scale could have significant benefits for both the local workforce and the tax base, as well as potentially making Desoto a desirable destination for investment..

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3. Local institutions. There is an active and dedicated base of business and investment friendly organizations that could be allies in promoting the development, such as the Desoto Chamber of Commerce and the Desoto Economic Development Corporation.

Message Plan

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This project supports a more resilient electric grid and supply. It will provide a meaningful boost to the local economy and signal that Desoto is a desirable municipality for future investment. Vesper looks forward to working with local officials to ensure that everyone in the city benefits, from employment opportunities and tax revenue, to strong local partnerships starting with DeSoto High School..

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Tactical Approach

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Phase 1

Key Contacts. Identify and cultivate key contacts in the city government and the school. Reach out to members of the City Council, Planning Commission, and Economic Development Corporation to introduce the project and the potential benefits.

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Stakeholder Engagement. After initial conversations, a clearer picture of the landscape of support will develop. Identify supporters and provide a deeper understanding of the local benefits this facility will provide. Maintain regular contact with those who are sympathetic to the proposal and build them into allies who will spread the message. The Desoto Chamber of Commerce and Desoto Economic Development Corporation could provide key support and potential inroads with elected officials.

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Phase 2

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Digital. After securing initial support from individuals in the city government, initiate a targeted campaign that promotes the economic benefits of the proposed facility. Using a website and search words, create content that links the ideas of job creation and economic success to the proposed solar facility.

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Traditional PR. Pay close attention to local media and sentiment in order to better tailor messaging to counteract any opposition that might arise. Organize community meetings to introduce the idea to residents in a friendly, open manner. Generate support by providing examples of other cities whose tax bases have increased with similar investments, providing more funding for local services, healthcare, and education. Elicit feedback about their questions or concerns and provide positive, forward-looking answers.

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Continued Stakeholder Engagement. Activate these networks of support for planning commission meetings and other regulatory approvals. Coordinate with these individuals or groups to contact local officials and voice their support for the project.

Goal: Introduce ourselves to key thought leaders and decision makers.

We will start our outreach with Supervisor Desmond's Chief of Staff: Vanessa McCarthy-Olmstead. Our project is in Supervisor Desmond's district, so early contact with his office will be key. Vesper should introduce themselves, the project and its benefits, and get a download from his Chief of Staff on what we need to know about Desmond and his district as we work through the permitting process.
At the same time, Vesper should begin developing a relationship with the Sacramento County Planning Director. This will be a key relationship as we navigate the permitting process, and having the planning department on our side throughout will be an important pice of getting through the process smoothly and efficiently.

Lastly, we should begin building relationships with respected and knowledgeable thought leaders in the county. This includes the County Economic Development Director and the president of the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce, which is the closest chamber to the project. Our goal here is to foster good relationships, get their take on the community, and get intel on Board of Supervisors. We also want to make sure we are talking about the benefits that this project will bring.

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Goal: Use what we learned in Phase I as we reach out to the broader community, prioritizing any connections the initial group of stakeholders recommends. We will build relationships, garner positive press, and educate the community on the project and its benefits.

Lean on economic development. Leverage our relationships we've built with thought leaders in the community to educate others in their organizations on project economic benefits and build a base of support there.
Non-profits, schools, energy and religious organizations. Continue to expand our outreach to leaders in other areas, tailoring messaging as appropriate to each group.
Launch a coordinated digital and earned media campaign. Content should be aimed at driving the positive narrative about how solar energy is important for economic development in the region, as well as Vesper being a proactive, good neighbor.