John Simillie Honored By Montgomery County League Of Women Voters

The Montgomery County League of Women Voters presented its annual “Making Democracy Work Award” to John Simillie at their annual meeting Thursday night. The League recognized John’s work in dealing with climate change. In presenting the award, League co-president Summer Ervin reviewed John’s extensive list of accomplishments both locally and nationally.

“John has been very busy,” Ervin said. “Through his own personal initiative and his leadership of the League’s climate team, John has accomplished many things.” The list includes working with local government, local organizations like the Boys and Girls Club and school officials, and nonprofit organizations.

In explaining his dedication, John said, “Climate change is the biggest collective action problem in human history and we’re not going to overcome it unless we all pull together in mobilizing our democracy.”

“John Smillie represents all that the League stands for,” Ervin said. “As one of the most trusted organizations in Montgomery County, the League of Women Voters is proud to be part of a community with such a dynamic citizen and is honored to present this year’s Making Democracy Work Award to John Smillie.” Through his own personal initiative and his leadership of the League climate team, John has accomplished the following:

1. John has advocated for utility-scale solar development to be permitted in our county through newspaper columns, letters to the editor, attendance in county meetings and direct contact with county officials.

2. He was asked to speak and share our county’s efforts with a national audience of Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers.

3. John conducted the first “Lunch with the League” presentation after the COVID pandemic on the climate provisions in the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the benefits of solar power. His presentation was repeated for the Greater Lafayette League chapter, and again online. With his own personal donation, John helped fund and launch a 10kw solar power system for the Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau. This went live on June 15th, 2022.

4. Again, with donations from John Smillie, Marc and Helen Hudson and coming support from the IRA, he has initiated the Boys and Girls Club on the path to going solar. They hope to go live by the end of May.

5. John met with Crawfordsville school officials to discuss benefits and grant programs available for electric school buses, and shared this information with North and South school districts.

6. He has partnered with Solar United Neighbors to promote a solar buying co-op in Montgomery and Tippecanoe counties.

7. John organized the Nonprofit Energy Forum, a presentation for nonprofits, including houses of worship and public entities throughout Central Indiana, on how they could take advantage of incentives in the IRA, and the SUN solar buying co-op, to go solar or otherwise address their energy efficiency.

8. John has met with and shared with our local government, information from C40 Cities and the Indiana Environmental Resilience Institute on programs and grants in the Inflation Reduction Act that local governments could utilize them.