(Spirit Lake)– Concern over plans by an Osceola county farmer to put in a four-thousand head hog operation in western Dickinson county boiled over at Tuesday’s Dickinson county board of supervisors meeting.
The supervisors voted four-to-one to send a letter of concern to the Department of Natural Resources regarding a proposal by Duane Drost to put in a start-to-finish hog operation eight miles west and a half mile south of Milford. Supervisor Wayne Northey cast the lone dissenting vote, saying language in the letter implied the county should have veto power over the state’s matrix system. He says that sends the wrong message.
The supervisors decided to send the letter, even though the proposed operation meets criteria in the matrix.
Supervisor Mardi Allen said it’s critical the supervisors do something to express their concern, citing a proposal for a similar operation southwest of Milford back in 2002 the drew the ire of citizens and neighbors when the supervisors failed to take any action following a request for a construction permit. The master matrix system didn’t exist at that time. A citizen’s group and the county bought out the proposed operation, putting an end to it.
The ultimate decision on whether or not a permit for Drost’s proposed operation lies with the DNR.
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