The second meeting of the Callaway County Health Ordinance Committee was cut short this week by the absence of two members and important details.
Committee chair Kent Wood and member Ashley Varner were unable to attend the Tuesday evening meeting.
County commissioners formed the committee to advise them on a health ordinance proposed by Western District Commissioner Roger Fischer. The proposed ordinance affects six townships in Callaway County, including Bourbon, West Fulton, Round Prairie, Guthrie, Cedar (which includes New Bloomfield) and Summit (which includes Holts Summit). It would apply to new confined animal feeding operations with a specified density of animals: 1,000 or more animal units at 150 or more per acre.
At the previous meeting on June 27, Wood offered to make a document comparing the draft health ordinance and current Department of Natural Resources regulations. However, due to his absence, that information wasn't available.
"That's what we need to have so we can all become knowledgeable," Holts Summit City Administrator Rick Hess, who moderated the committee meeting, said.
After residents at the meeting asked whether they could contribute to discussions, committee member and cattle farmer Jeff Jones suggested allowing residents' comments might be useful.
Hess and committee member Joshua Lehenbauer, a swine farmer, said in the interest of time, limiting the extent of comments would be wise. Hess proposed they suggest to Wood a time be set aside for visitor comments and each speaker be limited to a few minutes.
The six committee members who were present did not directly discuss their opinions on the health ordinance.
The proposed ordinance would establish setbacks to keep CAFOs and their waste a certain distance from populated areas, water and recreational facilities. It also introduces a variety of other safety measures to keep diseases from spreading from CAFOs to people. The complete ordinance can be viewed at bit.ly/2qYuK7d.
The next meeting will take place at 3 p.m. July 31 at the Callaway County Health Department's meeting room.