A Historical Record: Elected Officials and the Silfab Solar Facility

It is a matter of public record that three, and only three, current or former elected officials opposed the Silfab Solar manufacturing facility at 7149 Logistics Lane from its inception.

These three individuals were also the only York County Council members who voted against the FILOT (Fee In Lieu of Taxes) used to attract Silfab Solar to its current location.

Those three officials are:

Debi Cloninger

York County Council, District 7

Debi Cloninger represents the district where the Silfab facility is located and has been actively involved from the beginning. Upon learning of the project, she engaged with residents and raised concerns about allowing Heavy Industrial manufacturing in a Light Industrial zoned location.

She voted No on the Silfab FILOT and has remained a consistent presence within the Move Silfab community since that time, including:

• Early engagement with concerned residents

• Ongoing communication with constituents

• Participation in community discussions and meetings

• Continued advocacy for relocating Silfab to a properly zoned location

• Remaining engaged as new developments and safety concerns emerged

  
  

As the elected official representing the impacted district, Cloninger has maintained continuous involvement from the project’s inception through today and has remained a consistent and vocal opponent of the Silfab facility.

Tom Audette

York County Council, District 1

Tom Audette, whose district borders District 7 and includes families connected to Flint Hill schools, also voted No on the Silfab FILOT.

His opposition centered on:

• Zoning concerns

• Community safety considerations

• Proximity to residential neighborhoods and schools

  
  

Audette has continued his opposition and remains an active voice on the York County Council. The community continues to benefit from his leadership and ongoing advocacy on this issue.

Allison Love

Former York County Council, District 2

Although District 2 is not in close proximity to the Silfab site, Allison Love opposed the project based on:

• Improper zoning concerns

• Long-term planning considerations

• Whether the FILOT agreement served the best interests of York County residents

Love voted No on the FILOT and has continued to voice opposition as a private citizen following her departure from Council. The community remains appreciative of her leadership both during her tenure and since.

Since the FILOT Vote

Since the original vote:

• Allison Love has continued to oppose Silfab as a private citizen

• Tom Audette remains an active opponent on County Council

• Debi Cloninger has remained an active opponent on County Councial and is actively involved and a consistent presence within the Move Silfab community

Other elected officials have expressed concerns at various times. However, these three officials remain the only elected leaders who opposed the project from the beginning and voted against the incentives used to attract Silfab.

District 7 and the Upcoming Election

District 7 voters will select their County Council representative on June 9, 2026.

Debi Cloninger’s record on Silfab includes:

• Opposition from the beginning

• A No vote on the FILOT

• Ongoing involvement throughout the issue’s development

• A consistent presence within the Move Silfab community

• Continued engagement with residents as new concerns emerged

  
  

While her challenger Scott Couchenour has recently expressed opposition to Silfab, he was not a visible opponent to Silfab's operations before launching his campaign.

In public statements, Couchenour has also:

• Asserted that members of the Move Silfab community issued threats toward York County Council members

• Characterized the legal actions associated with the movement as frivolous and suggested they should be dropped

These statements are part of the current public dialogue surrounding the Silfab issue.

A Non-Partisan Movement

Move Silfab has consistently remained non-political and has not endorsed candidates in any election.

That remains the position today.

This article is intended to provide a current and accurate snapshot of local elected officials’ positions and involvement related to the Silfab Solar facility, allowing District 7 voters to make their own informed decision on June 9, 2026.

The mission remains unchanged:

Move Silfab to a properly zoned location away from Fort Mill schools and neighborhoods.