(Milford)– New developments Monday afternoon over a four thousand head hog confinement being built near Horseshoe Bend County Park southwest of Milford.
Assistant Dickinson County Attorney Jon Bjornstad says a procedural technicality has been discovered in the issuance of a construction permit for the facility. Bjornstad says Iowa Code requires such permits be published. He says that apparently wasn’t done. As a result, he’s questioning if the Iowa Department of Natural Resources took the proper steps in issuing the permit to Albert Gerhardt, who’s with a Fairmont, Minnesota company that’s putting up the operation.
The supervisors Tuesday are to consider setting a public hearing on the issue. The matter is included on a revised agenda for the meeting. The discussion is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. in the board of supervisors meeting room.
Construction on the operation has drawn considerable opposition from neighbors concerned over air and water quality issues and affects on property values. They’ve blamed the board of supervisors for not making it public when the county initially received notification from the D-N-R that a construction permit had been applied for.
