CLARION, IOWA – Elected officials in Wright county, Iowa have imposed strict rules on comments from the public at a hearing scheduled for Monday in Clarion on a proposed pig slaughterhouse.
At 9:30 AM Monday morning at the Wright county courthouse, Bryce Davis, Wright County Economic Development Director will present on the proposed $240 million Prestage pork plant. It is slated to be built 5 miles south of Eagle Grove, near Webster City and Fort Dodge. The 3-member board of supervisors will then hold first reading of the executive summary of the development agreement with Prestage, and second reading of Ordinance #50 on amendment to Zoning Ordinance for the unincorporated portion of Wright County. This zoning amendment would change the land where the plant would be built to an industrial zone instead of an agricultural zone. Also, second reading of Ordinance #51 will be held, on an amendment to provide for a change in zoning map of real property from agriculture to industrial
Prior to that presentation, a public hearing on entering into a Development Agreement with Prestage Foods of Iowa, LLC, will be held.
Leading up to this meeting, the board of supervisors also adopted rules for the public hearing. According to KLMJ Radio, Wright County residents will be allowed to speak first. Once they are done, those from surrounding counties and beyond will allegedly be allowed to speak. KLMJ says the supervisors imposed a rule where “those who plan to speak will have 2 minutes and for those coming in groups, one person representing that group will be allowed to speak.”
In Mason City, leading up to the defeat of Prestage, everyone was treated the same and given a full 5 minutes to speak.
Excuse me ! I heard the chinese government will have control of this plant ?
You are thinking of Smithfield. They are already in Mason City but have nothing to do with this.
Welcome to the Eagle Grove, USSR !
Anonymous
Mason City has no right at all to be there. Those that were against it were very rude and demeaning not only to Prestage but also to other people in favor of it and especially to the CITY Council.
The People of Mason City have every right to be wherever they please. In your country there is freedom of movement as well as freedom of speech. On what Constitutional principle to you base your theory? BTW I like the way you think!
I agree
Mind you own business. You have enough problems right here without sticking your nose in other people’s business.
Oh yes, most definitely the ACLU should be involved. SMH
Not sure why Mason City residents would feel the need to be present. It doesn’t concern them at all.
Where does it say anything about Mason City residents feeling the need to be there?
It’s not in this article. I saw it on KIMT.
Ok, thought I missed something in the article, no sure why anyone from MC would want/need to be there either.
County supervisors are now asserting their self proclaimed authority to restrict free speech. Since when does our right to express an opinion at a public forum depend on the location of the county in which we live. I hope the ACLU becomes involved.
I agree
if nothing else we should be there to offset all the greedy out of town pig farmers who are looking to pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars of free money while evading all the social cost thrown on the back of local tax payers.
I agree this is a decision for the taxpayers of Clarion to make. And hopefully they have some elected officials that will remember that they are elected to represent the will of the people. The people of Mason City made it clear that this plant was not wanted and we had three council members who were willing to do the right thing and vote this down when the majority of the community was against it.
All Iowa taxpayers will be paying for this, not just Wright county.
I guess Mr.Prestage has figured out the only way he is going to get his pork processing plant in Iowa is to stifle the citizens. Keeping the people from voicing their opinion just might work for him this time.
Good efforts but enough. Let’s go even further. Require a photo ID or certified birth certificate in order to register. Absolutely NO same day registration. Conceal and Carry attendees welcome and encouraged. Make America Safe Again.
I agree – neither out of town pig farmers nor environmentalist should have a say. Yes, this affects us all to some degree, but it’s the citizens of eagle Grove that are about to be royally sodomized and it need to be their decision alone wether to consent or not.
just like in mason city i think that only the people in eagle grove should speak on prestage, because it effects people in the town most when you let outsiders speak it gives false thinking on what people in the town want.