By Debbie Lowe, Carroll County Comet
Representatives from the proposed mega-dairy located in Democrat Township visited the commissioners' meeting Tuesday morning to explain their project.
Cecilia Conway of Vreba-Hoff Diary Development, David Gerdeman and Brian Daggy, both from North Point Engineering of Ohio, not only delivered a significant amount of detailed planning information about the project, but they answered numerous questions from concerned audience members.
Daggy said a permit application was submitted to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the facility, bordered on the north by CR600N and on the west by SR75, nearly 30 days ago.
The representatives said there were approximately 2,700 to 2,800 acres of land available to them at the present. Although there may be more land to purchase later on, they said the design of the plant does not allow for expansion of the herd, which is estimated at 4,100 cows.
There will be between 35 and 40 semi tractor-trailer trucks on 600S every week. It was noted by one township resident the road is posted for no trucks.
Daggy said clean run-off will be routed into county drains. The county will be solicited for permission to relocate one drain that currently runs through the proposed site. He said the developer will assume the cost of that action.
Resident Jerry Carter asked about plans for lighting, exhaustfan noise, landscaping and emergency power for pumps. The representatives agreed that a tour of a nearby facility would more adequately describe how the site might look.
In a short interview after the commissioners' meeting, all three representatives said they would answer questions and concerns via e-mail or by hosting a public forum.
"We have nothing to hide," Daggy said.
"If anyone feels like there is more information they'd like to have, they can contact us by email or phone," Conway added.
Conway said there are expected to be 25 and 30 employees every day who will use an entrance off of 600S.
She said the Arendsens, the owners and operators of the facility, who presently live in Germany, will move to Carroll County after construction begins.