The Wright County
Monitor
Get your Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 2016 School Year information on Page 13
147th year Number 31
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Official newspaper of Wright County
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www.clarionnewsonline.com
Groundbreaking for new CREP wetland
Though some citizens criticized Hardin County’s density of hog confinements, Annette Sweeney, a Hardin County resident, said she personally didn’t notice the adverse effects. “We need a strong livestock industry in our state to support the demand for animal protein in the world,” she said.
Who has something to gain from Prestage? Supervisors approve development agreement Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com The third public hearing regarding Prestage’s proposed pork processing plant took place Monday with the intent that citizens could voice their opinions on the economic development agreement introduced last week. To start with, Economic Development Director Bryce Davis summarized the agreement. As stated last week, the county would pay back 32 percent of taxes received from the company (with variance depending on state levies) not to exceed $8 million over 10 years, contingent on an assessed $111 million in taxable value at the plant site. The county will also improve roads as necessary and ensure wastewater treatment is available for the plant. Prestage must complete minimum improvements of a 600,000-square foot building, build $2 million in capital investments, employ 922 people full-time, and be current on their taxes to receive benefits. Davis also added that they weren’t yet sure if the county would be responsible for improving portions of Highway 17, since it’s a state road. “We are in discussion with the DOT,” he said. Auditor Betty Ellis read letters of support for the project that the supervisors had received from 10 different local and state organizations. The Supervisors had also received several emails expressing opposition for the project, but typically only share physical mail they receive regarding hearings. Last week, some opponents of the plant pointed out that many people speaking in favor of Prestage would potentially get some economic benefit once the plant was built. At Monday’s meeting, proponents of the plant didn’t disagree, but also pointed out that businesspeople wouldn’t be the only ones receiving benefits. Becky Bradburn said she grew up in a small packing town that suffered economically and shrank in size when the plant left. She believed that increasing industry in Eagle Grove could increase population and bring more services enabled by economic opportunity. “In my book, that is the definition of a win-win if we all gain something,” she said. Brandon Meyer, an Eagle Grove businessman, agreed. “All the surrounding towns have something to gain here,” he said. He also commented that the businesspeople who supported the plant were invested in the community, had a grasp on economics, and knew a good opportunity when they saw one. “One thing that people
Correction
aren’t realizing is where we are economically today,” said Dustin Rief, administrator for the City of Clarion. He brought up some recent business merges and losses in the city and pointed out that there would soon be 11 empty commercial spaces in Clarion’s downtown. “The economic impact of [the plant] is purely positive,” Rief said. He also pointed out that the tax payments going back to Prestage would not come from county residents. “If they didn’t build, these taxes won’t be there anyway,” he said. Some speakers affirmed the solidity of the agreement or the character of Prestage as a company. Karen Mitchell, the executive director of Franklin County Economic Development, said that when her county considered bringing in Prestage, she researched the company thoroughly. “There were no red flags,” she said. Jim Vermeer, a member of the Humboldt city council, thought the agreement was prudent, responsible, wellwritten, and would protect Wright County should something go wrong. The citizens who spoke in opposition didn’t share criticisms of the development agreement specifically, but still had concerns about the plant. Mary Louise Burt said she had worked with climate activists for more than 30 years and had several worries about the plant from an environmental viewpoint, citing hog manure undesirability as a major factor. “I see this industry as not sustainable,” Burt said. Many were concerned that the plant would cause an increase in hog confinements, which could potentially increase pollution and decrease quality of life. Kathy Fryslie, a resident of Hardin County, which has been alleged to be the seventh-most polluted county in the country, said the smell from “thick” confinements was difficult to deal with. “This will only increase their popularity,” she said. Shannon Walker also didn’t think the supervisors were giving those who oppose the plant due consideration. “I don’t think you guys are listening to us,” she said. “Look at the harm it’s going to do, as well as the good it’s going to do.” At the close of the hearing, the supervisors voted to approve the economic development agreement, which stands as a present statement of intent should all other approvals go through. About 70 attended the hearing, with a total of 19 people speaking in favor of the plant and 11 speaking against it.
Last week’s story on the Prestage development agreement hearing contained an error. The correct name of the person quoted as “Joe Reed” is Bob Reedy. The Monitor apologizes for this mistake.
Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com On July 27, a group of local and state conservation workers gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony celebrating the establishment of a CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) wetland in Wright County. The new wetland, which will be located in section 34 of Norway Township, is set to start construction in August and be finished by the end of the year. Drainage in the area won’t be negatively affected, and Bruce Voigts, coordinator for the Eagle Creek nutrient reduction strategy, was even hopeful that it might improve. Mike Naig, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, attended the groundbreaking, and thanked the group for all their efforts to forward the project and improve water quality. He also said that projects like this couldn’t work without the help of willing landowners. “That’s where it all starts,” he said. The property that is being transformed into the wetland is owned by Chuck Smoldt and Roger and Dorothy Burras. Members of both families wielded the shovels for the symbolic groundbreaking. Just over 1,000 acres of land drain into the 55-acre site. Wright County’s CREP wetland will have an average pool depth of 2 feet, though the deepest spot will be about 13 feet directly in front of the weir, with a total pool size of 13.1 acres. If proved to be 70 percent efficient at removing nitrates, the wetland’s effect will be equivalent to keeping the nitrates from 842 acres of cropland out of surface water permanently. “To make a wetland work, you don’t need that deep of water,” Judy
Pictured are Bruce Voigts with the local Natural Resources Conservation Services, Chuck Smoldt, Roger Burras, Dorothy Burras, and members of the Burras family: Renee, Vickie, and Rick. Krebsbach, state CREP program coordinator, said. She explained that bacteria and microbes in shallow water and saturated soil do the work of removing nitrogen by metabolizing it and releasing it as inert gas in the atmosphere. Plant life also provides a minimal benefit. Krebsbach also said that with the location and this wetland’s high proportion of water to watershed,
it has the potential to be topperforming. “This is placed so strategically well,” she added. Over its 150-year life, the wetland should remove 1,474 tons of nitrate from the water supply. Other benefits of the site will include increased wildlife habitat, recreation, the addition of native vegetation, research opportunities. Across Iowa, 95 wetlands
established through CREP and other programs have been completed or are currently being built. Those 95 sites total 891 acres of pool treatment for 122,300 acres of watershed. Typically, a wetland can remove 4070 percent of nitrates in its water, with top-performing wetlands able to remove up to 90 percent. Wetlands can also remove up to 90 percent of herbicides.
Together again – women of the Clarion Clinic share memories Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com There’s not much better than sitting down with friends over a cup of coffee. But where time and distance are a factor, such meetings are all the more sweet. So was the case on July 27 at Grounded on Main Street, where a group of women who once worked together at the old Clarion Clinic gathered for a time of memories and friendship. “Leaanne [Anderson] and I were talking… ‘Let’s just go uptown for coffee,” said Naomi Maxheimer. The more they talked, the more they realized they wanted to see everyone else who had worked at the clinic, some who still lived in the area, and some who had moved. Maxheimer said they called everyone—“Even if they were 300 miles away.” Ultimately, nine were able to come. Some had started working at the clinic in the 1960s, when it resided in the building that is now Wright County Public Health, before the clinic merged with Clarion’s hospital in the early 80s. Some were receptionists, some were medical assistants, and some were nurses. “We had such respect with the doctors we worked for,” Maxheimer said. Those doctors were Eaton, Young, Hawkins, McCool, all now unfortunately deceased. “We were just family. The doctors said we were family,” said Linda McGrath, another member of the group. Several commented on how everybody at the clinic knew everybody’s families, and how their children were practically raised together. Some recalled how they like to go to the Hilltop Buffet in Rowan at the holidays, and that the clinic doctors would also attend but never rode in the same car together, in case
there was an accident which would leave Clarion without doctors. They also remembered how busy the days could be. “People would just walk in. We would get there early in the morning, and the
waiting room would be just packed,” Leaanne Anderson said. In 1982, the Clarion Clinic joined with Kanawha clinic, the first of a few mergers during the early 80s which would eventually place
the old clinic with what is now the Specialty clinic at Clarion’s Iowa Specialty Hospital. “It’s just good to see happy faces. It’s nice to be back together,” Maxheimer said.
Front row, left to right: Cathryn Elkin, Leaanne Anderson, Jo Thornton. Back row: Naomi Maxheimer, Linda DeNio, Shirley Berens, Linda Jackson, Linda McGrath, Barb Howieson.