Hearing Set for Controversial Gage County Swine Operation

By Gordon HopkinsA proposed swine operation in southern Gage County, near Liberty, has garnered some opposition. Protesters have been present at the last two Gage County Supervisor meetings. Opponents will have another opportunity to express their opinions at a public hearing scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 29th, in the supervisor’s meeting room at the Gage County Courthouse.The Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board will hear public comments about a special use permit for the Island Grove Summit Swine operation, proposed by Iowa-based Summit Pork, near Liberty.P&Z Administrator Lisa Wiegand discussed the process at a meeting of the board of supervisors on Wednesday, August 23, “There's always been questions about the due process. About the process, what happens in Planning and Zoning, the procedures.”Wiegand said one of the questions she gets is, “Is this a 'done deal' at the P&Z's meetings? And so, it is not.”Wiegand said, “Planning and Zoning makes a recommendation. So, originally, we have our meeting planned for next Tuesday evening. Letters were sent out to a large number of people, which included a large portion of Liberty, since it is a mile-and-a-half from Liberty, as required.”Wiegand said, “They (P&Z) hear the testimony. Everyone will have the opportunity to speak for, against or in a neutral state. P&Z looks at the regulations. They will make a recommendation, then the process starts all over again.”A map was shared with supervisors that shows the location of the proposed operation.“I shared with you a map, that has been shared with many of the landowners here today, of the exact, actual point. And that was one of the things that I brought up to you was that I was not going to move forward with a special use hearing until we've verified the setbacks with (County Surveyor) Chris Witulski. That position has been marked on site. And Chris took those particular measurements, a map was prepared, of which you received,” said Wiegand. “It is on public record down at the Village Clerk or the Post Office, and so forth.”Wiegand said, “Nothing has been kept secret in terms of the locations or anything.”One opponent of the operation is Patty Barnard of Liberty. She spoke at the meeting, where she said she had identified an error in the map, “There is an error in the marking of the ground of the description of the land down here.”Barnard said, “We were supposed to have a hearing Tuesday evening. So, we were thinking that it should be delayed, then. This is not right. Won't that have to be made right?”Wiegand said she would discuss the matter with counsel. As of press time, there was no plan to delay the hearing.The Gage County Board of Supervisors will schedule another hearing sometime after the P&Z hearing.Recently, the Gage County Board approved another swine operation, this one along South 82nd Road, between Pickrell and Adams.

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