Waylon Sheetz's Story

A small business owner in the small Kansas town of Belleville, Waylon Sheetz shares his point of view on the wind farm that has gone up nearby, including the benefits to the local economy and his perspective on the people who work for the wind farm.

At 26 years old, Waylon Sheetz is a rarity, to say the least. He opened his own business, Sheetz and Suds Laundromat, at 23. (The town last had a laundromat when Waylon was in diapers.) Since then, he’s decided to train to become a funeral director. Why not? Belleville’s long-standing Bachelor-Faulkner-Dart-Surber Funeral Home is two doors down. 

Waylon Sheetz in front of Sheetz & Suds in Belleville, Kansas | Photo by Haines Eason, Freelance Kansas

Along the way, Sheetz has also served a year as the director of his hometown’s combined Chamber of Commerce and Main Street organizations. It’s given him a good view of the business landscape of his town, especially as the High Banks Wind Farm has taken root.

“What you hear in the news or media, if a wind farm’s coming, they’re bringing a lot of people,” Sheetz noted. 

But, this young man notes, these workers, they’re just like the rest of us. They have bills to pay, and they’re working for a paycheck. They have families and dreams, too.

“They want to experience the community,” Sheetz noted. “They want to experience what it’s like to be in our little slice of heaven in the country. They’re here to make it the best that they can.”

Belleville, Kansas square | Photo by Haines Eason, Freelance Kansas

Belleville is a town of roughly 2,000 people. The wind farm has employed hundreds, and, for a small town, the impact of such an influx is very noticeable.

“It’s been neat to see our community handle that, take that on, and be willing to grow more,” Sheetz said. “We’ve seen RV parks pop up everywhere in town that they can. Empty lots that were not being utilized. They’re being productive spaces that a year ago would not have been.” 

RV park in Belleville, Kansas | Photo by Haines Eason, Freelance Kansas

Given his connections to the business community, Sheetz has real insights into how his town’s boom has unfolded. 

He said that, across the board, most any industry has seen an increase in business. As a result, business owners are in a better position to pay down mortgages, invest in operations, and take care of their families. 

“Biggest thing I’ve seen firsthand are the restaurants. Our local Casey’s, it runs out of food immediately. Our other restaurants are selling like crazy trying to keep up. We’ve actually seen an uptick of restaurants. We just had a bar and grill open just a week ago, and I think a lot of that was due to the wind farm.” 

He said that, across the board, most any industry has seen an increase in business. As a result, business owners are in a better position to pay down mortgages, invest in operations, and take care of their families. 

Belleville, Kansas | Photo by Haines Eason, Freelance Kansas

Many workers have brought their own families, too. That means more kids in local schools, which means more funding. Even if for a short while, towns like Belleville are growing—when, before, they had been holding steady or shrinking.  

“All the workers, they’re working a job just like the rest of us. They’re not about the politics of it, the pros or cons. They’re here doing a job for a paycheck. Why not be welcoming and inviting and get to know them while they’re here?”

In the end, Sheetz summed it up perfectly: 

“All the workers, they’re working a job just like the rest of us. They’re not about the politics of it, the pros or cons. They’re here doing a job for a paycheck. Why not be welcoming and inviting and get to know them while they’re here?”