LAGRANGE — A petition to require manure bags on horses drew more than 130 people into the LaGrange County Commissioners meeting room at the LaGrange County Building Monday morning.
More than half those in the audience were Amish — the target of a petition by LaGrange County resident Chad Fry, who along with a couple of thousand petitioners, hopes to eliminate horse manure in parking lots and roadways in LaGrange County.
“This isn’t about English vs. Amish,” Fry said. “It’s about respect and cleaner towns. It’s only going to benefit the community in the long run.”
Also presented to the commissioners were resolutions from the town councils of Shipshewana and Topeka in support of manure bags, keeping streets clean and waste out of the water. Shipshewana councilman Roger Yoder said after the meeting that towns could hardly have their own ordinances concerning manure. It would have to be countywide to be effective.
During his presentation, Fry said county officials have catered to the Amish with reduced speed zones in heavily Amish populated areas, buggy lanes on roads and hitching racks at businesses and government offices — all costing taxpayers money.
“We shouldn’t have to clean up after that,” he said. “We’re paying for the clean up as well.”
He also said there are health issues involved with manure. When it rains, there is runoff into lakes, fields and eventually drinking water. He pointed out that Shipshewana has a storm drain clogged because of manure. And people have to walk through brown water when it rains, tracking feces into businesses and homes.
Safety was another of Fry’s concerns. Motorists, particularly motorcyclists, could have accidents trying to avoid manure, he said. And if they don’t avoid the piles, motorists have to continually clean their vehicles.
“It’s only going to get worse if we don’t address these issues,” Fry said.
He pointed to Auburn, Kentucky, which passed an ordinance in 2014 requiring manure bags on horses. Fry presented what he believes is a cost-effective solution, a product called the Bun Bag. It attaches to the horse’s tail and when the horse poops, the bag catches it.
Members of the Amish community were not impressed with the device, but felt as Christians they should try to listen and work with their neighbors.
One Amish bishop, through Commissioner Larry Miller, offered to form a committee of Amish and English residents to study the matter and perhaps come up with a compromise. Fry accepted that offer.
“We understand it’s a problem,” said Atlee Miller of Topeka, “and we want to look at it in a fair way.”
Miller said he feels the Amish community should be respectful of where they park their horses and stay to hitching posts that are provided for them.
But they have to keep the safety of their families in mind.
Miller said they were not willing to risk their wives and children being injured if a horse became uncontrollable because the bag bouncing against its hindquarters felt like a whip.
“It could be nasty — very, very nasty,” Miller said.
Many of the horses hooked to buggies are former race horses, several Amish men explained after the meeting. These former racers are more sensitive and high strung than a draft horse.
Fry said during the meeting the horses would have to get used to the bag and he was supported in that by a resident who said he has trained horses for 35 years.
However, Fry said he has not been successful in trying out the Bun Bag to see if it would aggravate a horse. No one from the Amish community was willing to test it for him, he said. Several Amish men after the meeting said they were not willing to take that risk. If Fry wanted to pay for damages that could be caused by the horse, they would be willing.
Commissioner Terry Martin, who owns horses, said he was disappointed that no one was willing to try it. How could he say yes or no without having evidence either way, he said. So he is going to put it on one of his own horses to see if it works.
“I would like to see it on an Amish buggy,” he added. “I need to know one way or another.”
Martin invited everyone to a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at the annex building, where he hopes to get some feedback from the public. Those interested in learning more should call him at 260-499-1814 or email him at tmartin@lagrangecounty.org.
Also, after the meeting several Amish men examined the bag, which they said could only hold one or two releases. They asked several questions that have no answers at this point, including: Does the driver have to pull over and empty the bag? Where would they empty it?
Commissioner Miller said he expects the next talks to be with the committee suggested by the bishop.
“I’d like to see both sides get together and find some middle ground,” he said.