The Miami County Plan Commission’s Wednesday meeting was relocated to Circuit Court after more than 100 people showed up to speak to the Board about their positions on either changing the ordinances related to hog barns or keeping them the same.
Circuit Court’s seats were filled row to row, as was the area behind the seating from the back row to the doors, with dozens of people also in the left and right aisles standing wall to wall.
Board Attorney Pat Roberts spoke to the large gathering several times during the meeting, saying “we have it looks like more than 100 people here” and also said the argument residents had regarding the idea that the hog farms are contaminating the water should be taken up with Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
“I am not saying you are right or wrong, but you have to address it to them to get the enforcement of their own rules, regulations, statutes,” Roberts said.
Roberts said the Board of Commissioners and Plan Commission cannot get involved with an argument with the state and suggested that concerned parties should sign their names on a petition and send it to IDEM.
“I suspect that a lot of people feel like they are in danger by some complaint that has been made, but it is not on the agenda tonight,” Roberts said. “We can’t start something here unless it is proposed. For all of you here, you can always come back and bring it before these folks, but not tonight. In all fairness, with all of you folks here, somebody has told somebody something and I don’t know why everybody came tonight because it was not on the agenda.”
Roberts further said that the Commission cannot change county ordinances or regulations on hog barns because of a complaint by one or more residents. He added that some people in the crowd had attended to make sure that hog farming does not change.
“I assume some of you are here to make sure that hog farming stays the way it has always been and the gentleman over here is saying that it is a nuisance to him,” Roberts said.
Chuck Smith, a Miami County resident, previously told the Board of Commissioners that that the chemicals and drugs used in the feed for the hogs end up in the ground, adding that he is concerned about the rivers and ditches in the area becoming contaminated.
Smith further said at Wednesday’s meeting that he has been attempting to contact the Indiana Department of Environmental Management but has not been successful.
“It’s about clean water; it’s not a nuisance, it’s clean water,” Smith said.
Roberts said the Commission has no authority to act unless a petition is filed with the state.
“It’s not the jurisdiction of this Board to worry about clean water, unless you file a petition with (IDEM) under the law and say that there is a problem,” Roberts said. “And I explained everything to you at the Commissioners meeting, but nobody has done anything and now everybody appears.”
John Wildermuth, local farmer, said he farms hay and grains and also raises hogs. He said he attended Wednesday’s meeting because he wanted to make sure there “were no new requirements added to raising hogs in Miami County.
“There are very strict rules and regulations that we have to adhere to, yearly inspections as well, and we are following the rules and we have not had any issues in the county,” Wildermuth said.
County Zoning Administrator Tammy Gamble said she does not issue a confined feed permit until all of the requirements by IDEM and the county’s zoning are made. She added if the county’s zoning requirements are not met that they will have to go before the Board.
“IDEM is a state agency controlled by the state and not the county. What we have in part of our confined feed ordinance we can address setbacks from residential and water,” Gamble said. “But at minimum they have to be what IDEM wants, and it is not like we are letting things go in without IDEM requirements.”