MONTICELLO — The proposal of a chicken farm with 2.2 million chickens has residents in Jennings Township clucking mad and ready to try and stop the procedure.
An application to build the facility was submitted by RB Family Farms and Fleck Poultry to the Ohio Department of Agriculture on May 11. The proposed spot for the farm was at 21638 state Route 116 just out of Monticello.
A public meeting was scheduled for residents to voice concerns at the Van Wert County Extension Office on June 15, but went by with little turnout. Now, several months into the process, residents are expressing concerns with the facility and the effect it will have on the area. Concerns named included odor and pest problems, effects on the local water supply, and loss of home value.
The notice of the meeting was circulated in a local newspaper, but several residents said they did not get the newspaper and that more should have been done to notify them. The group had a meeting to discuss their options at Monticello United Brethren Church with about 50 in attendance.
Two spokesmen led a group discussion to pursue the matter.
Resident Brett Rider told the crowd that the proposed farm will be in the location of the Allen County Combined Aquifer. The location was federally protected under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act in 1992 after a group of concerned citizens fought to have the supply protected when a waste facility had been proposed in the area.
Another area resident, Steve Simindinger, said the group is pushing for a second public hearing to be held now that residents are aware of the situation.
“I was told that a second meeting isn’t something they have to allow, but that it is a maybe,” Simindinger said.
The group then made a list of concerns and headed just down the road to Converse for the Jennings Township trustees meeting. Simindinger spoke, representing the group, which grew to about 90 for the township meeting.
Simindinger told trustees that they should have been more active in notifying residents of the proposal.
“You would have only had to have told five people and the word would have spread,” Simindinger said. “That is our greatest anger, that our opinion was not considered. We missed the meeting because we did not know about it. You are supposed to protect our community, our water, our quality of life and our home values. With the size of this thing, you should have known there would be concerns.”
Both the township trustees and the Van Wert County commissioners were in attendance and addressed the crowd.
Trustee Mike Hiett told the crowd that the process is primarily in the hands of the ODA, and Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger said the only statutory requirement for the county is to acknowledge that they had been notified of the application to build. However, both vowed to do what they can to stop the farm now that they have been made more aware of the situation.
Trustee Keith Savidge read a letter that the trustees will sign and turn in to the ODA voicing concern about the project, and Commissioner Steve Owens said the commissioners will also let the public’s feelings be known.
“I accept the responsibility of this,”Owens said. “So much of the time we operate by what we are required to do. I certainly did not know this was a megachicken farm. I will look at things differently .”
Lichtensteiger sent a text to state Rep. Tony Burkley and state Sen. Cliff Hite right from the scene, and Hite responded promptly back, saying he would do what he could to get a second meeting scheduled for the public.
The concerned citizen group plans to meet again at 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss their options on putting a stop to the farm.
Jim and John Fleck, listed as officers of Fleck Poultry, were not able to be reached by phone numbers listed on the application.
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Lance Mihm photo
