Two county supervisors cast "protest vote" against the state's handling of hog confinement applications

By a 3-2 vote Monday, the Winneshiek County Board approved the construction permit application of D & J Hogs of 2660 310th Avenue near Ridgeway. 

But supervisors John Beard and Dean Thompson cast what they called "a protest vote" against the current system of handling hog confiement applications. 

The Winneshiek County Board in January approved sending a letter to the Iowa Legislature and Iowa DNR, calling for a review of the current Master Matrix to allow more local input.  They have not gotten an answer to their letter.

Thompson said Monday the current system "reduces our role to zero."  Said Thompson, "I can't find a way to support more of this stuff."

Beard said the legislature "is not inclined to listen to our input," and bemoaned that "this process is so easy (for applicants)."

Two weeks ago at a public hearing on D & J Hogs' application, questions were raised about the manure management plan, but supervisors John Logsdon, Floyd Ashbacher and Mark Kuhn voted Monday in favor of the application, knowing the DNR would approve it, no matter what the county board did.