Justin Schneider, Herald Bulletin
Ethanol deserves an opportunity.
That was the message sent by the Madison County Planning Commission on Tuesday as it recommended that 253 acres in rural Monroe Township be rezoned for a proposed ethanol production plant. The matter will come before the Madison County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 21.
"We cannot move forward unless this is rezoned," said planning commission member Paul Wilson. "If we don't move forward, the investment of money, the jobs will all go away. I'm confident that if we rezone we can make it work for everybody."
Around 120 people attended the meeting and the crowd spilled out the door of the Commissioners Court at the Madison County Government Center and into the hallway. Dozens of people remained standing for hours as the planning commission heard new testimony from more than 30 speakers.
On Oct. 4, Broin Companies announced its intention to build a $105 million ethanol production plant near Alexandria. Last month, the planning commission voted to table the matter until its November meeting to allow county officials and citizens to collect more information.
"What we've done, at the request of the board, is increase communication with the neighbors," said Brian Minish, vice president of Ultimate Ethanol LLC. "We held a community meeting for the immediate neighbors, many of whom signed up for a bus tour to our plant in Caro, Mich."
The issue has divided a community badly in need of economic development, yet wishes to retain its rural character. Many in attendance wore stickers bearing the slogan "Yes, invest," but the loudest applause seemed to follow opponents of the plant.
"All I can see in my future is losing everything I have," said Ron Parker, who lives across County Road 1300 North from the site. "Everyone seems to benefit from this put the Parkers. (Broin gets) the ethanol and makes a lot of money, (landowner) Max Bingham makes a lot of money, the county makes a lot of money, maybe even the city of Alexandria makes a lot of money."
Attorney Ron Fowler, representing the Parkers, said approving the zoning request would go against Madison County's own comprehensive plan.
"The site was never intended to become industrial," Fowler said. "You call this a farm-related industry, but it's not a farm site, it's an industrial site."
Revisions to the site plan have moved two 2-million gallon ethanol tanks closer to Parker's home, but other changes have been made to appease the neighbors.
Broin has altered its site plan to include a 4-foot berm, with 6-foot evergreen trees. The company has yet to reach an agreement on water service, but Minish said three offers from municipal providers (the city of Alexandria, South Madison Utilities and Indiana America Water) are under consideration.
Mary Starkey, director of the Madison County Corporation for Economic Development, called Broin a leader in the ethanol industry with the experience of 29 plants.
"The overriding question is: Do you want economic development in Madison County?" Starkey said. "This is a $105 million investment in the county, it will raise corn prices for the first time since World War II, and it will bring employment to 40 families."
On Nov. 9, 16 area residents accepted an invitation to visit Broin's Michigan Ethanol plant in Caro, Mich. Many related their experiences on Tuesday.
"I work at a stamping plant, so I know noise," said Dan Brown of Alexandria. "The noise consumes you, you can hear your pulse in (the plant)."
But another resident, Theresa Petty, said the plant was far from offensive.
"It smelled like baking bread," Petty said. "The noise was predominant inside the plant, but as you walked away the noise was reduced. Broin is a good company and I think they would be a good addition to our community."
Erin Heupel, environmental engineer for Broin, sought to reassure officials of emission standards.
Last year, she said, Michigan Ethanol emitted 50 tons of regulated contaminants. By comparison a large commercial bakery in St. Paul, Minn. emitted 65 tons and a commercial candy maker in Chicago emitted 75 tons.
"Just because the standard is 100 tons for year doesn't mean that 99.9 tons is what we strive for," she said. "Why would we let ethanol go out into the air? We want to capture it."
Heupel reiterated that water used in the production would not be discharged, although the Alexandria plant would discharge around 200 gallons per minute when the plant is up and running.
Jeremy Van Erman, planning commissioner and building commissioner for the city of Alexandria, said the response to Broin's interest in Madison County will set a precedent and establish a reputation for years to come.
"The whole state is going to be looking at how we deal with industry, how we bring in business," said Van Erman. "If industry comes to town, we need to have a plan in place."
At least one party, Julie Davidson of Elwood, felt some planning commission members should not be making any decision at all.
"It's my duty as an attorney to express what I feel is a conflict of interest," Davidson said. "If a planning commission member has a direct or indirect interest in the matter, he must remove himself from the proceedings."
Planning Commission Attorney Gerald Shine read the state statute regarding conflict of interest. Direct interest is very clear, but "indirect interest" is rather vague and Shine said the board members should use their own discretion.
"If I sell my corn to the nearest elevator and they sell it to Broin, is that an indirect interest?" asked Bill Maxwell. "Even if it's not me selling it to them?"
In the end, no planning commission member precluded themselves from Tuesday's meeting. And when a motion was made and the vote cast at 12:40 p.m., it carried unanimously.
"I couldn't help but relate this to Red Gold," Ken Clark of Alexandria said. "Over the years, they have grown to be one of the leading employers in Madison County. Broin is not going to solve all our problems, but we have to start somewhere."