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Meat-packing plant decision likely Monday
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
City Council may approve a proposed meatpacking plant within city limits at Monday's regular meeting at 7 p.m., which will follow a work session on the plant at 5 p.m.
Both Jan. 4 meetings will be held in council chambers, 300 W. Rex Allen Drive, and will deal with an application by Tri-Western Meat Packing, Inc. to operate its meatpacking plant at a building across the street from the previously planned location, formerly occupied by Arizona Apple, at 1105 North Haskell Avenue.
Originally, Tri-Western officials had approached the city, hoping to open a plant at the old apple warehouse on Business 10 at 1126 North Haskell Avenue.
They then decided that the old Arizona Apple building better suited their needs and would "get us online as quickly as possible," explained Operating Manager Efrain Estrella.
The new proposed location is about 300 feet from the front door of Laura Anne Bethel, who has lived there nearly 50 years, she told the council at its Dec. 21 meeting.
"When we moved to this location, there was nothing out here except the auction barn, and it was not in city limits," said Bethel. "I was raised on a dairy farm so I'm very aware of animals."
She described her family's bad experience with pollution from the former apple processing plant at the same location.
"It was just a couple of days ago that I was informed that this intended business would not be on the North side of Haskell, but would be next to me," she said.
"That news has created total turmoil in my life," said Bethel, asking the council to postpone any action on the plant "until we have time to have our questions answered and concerns discussed."
"I not only think of the impact on my property value sinking, but on the total environmental aspect of this whole thing so close to the populated town," she said.
In her remarks, Bethel's daughter Peggy Sue Kyselka, said that while not a Willcox resident, "I do hold a vested interest in property whose value will be affected by this vote."
Kyselka said she could find no record on an environmental impact study, nor a detailed review of potential off-site issues and impacts.
She raised four major concerns - truck traffic, noise, pollution control, and water use and conservation.
As to truck traffic, Kyselka asked about damage to city streets from increased trucks and heavy loads, and asked if property taxes on this site would be enough to cover repairing damage to the streets.
She asked if a right hand turn lane would be added to Haskell Avenue "to accommodate slow moving trucks preparing to turn into the site."
Citing safety concerns, Kyselka said should trucks become backed up on North Haskell while waiting to unload, "they should not be sitting in the thru-lane or on the shoulder of the road."
In terms of noise, she asked what measures would be taken to minimize truck traffic noise.
"Will the site design allow truck maneuvering such that trucks do not have to back up or back into loading zones and activate their back-up beepers? Will the city's current noise ordinance apply to this site?"
Kyselka asked how the plant would minimize or eliminate cattle and machinery noise.
In terms of pollution control, she asked how the plant would collect, store, and dispose of liquid and solid live and/or dead animal waste products; and insure that those materials do not seep into the soil and groundwater.
She also asked about the plant's vector control plan and how it would control flies and other pests on site.
"Will the operation maintain any animal waste composting facility, and if so, what would be composted?" she asked.
"How will the operation insure that (dust) from soil, manure, or other operation materials will not leave the property?" said Kyselka, adding, "Will all vehicular traffic areas off site be required to have a dust-proof surface?"
Kyselka stated that the proposed site lies within a flood plain, and asked how the plant would control "storm water runoff such that oils, toxic fluids, and animal waste to insure it does not contaminate groundwater or neighboring properties," noting that "flood water flows towards the more populated area of Willcox."
Addressing water use and conservation, Kyselka asked about the plant's projected water use per year.
While potable water would be provided through the city's well, she asked how it would insure that potable water on and off site would "not be contaminated by waste generated by the operation or vectors and pests attracted to the operation."
"Some of these questions have been partially answered at previous city council meetings, however, I feel further investigation is needed," she said.
"I am aware that a Tri-Western representative has stated that the septic tanks would be sealed," said Kyselka, asking if one of the three local septic hauling companies would be used in pumping these tanks.
"If so, would they be dumping the loads into the city's sewer treatment plants?" she said.
"How would this affect the ADEQ permitting of the city's treatment plant? Has the city not had recent problems in maintaining limits within the current guidelines?"
"I am not singling out the meat slaughtering industry. I would also be opposed to a munitions plant, a tannery, or a paper mill on the proposed site," she said. "Surely there must be a more appropriate site for a facility such as the one proposed by Tri-Western."
Willcox-area resident Gene Moreman told the council it needs to consider what "this packing plant will entail in the future."
"Most residents from the City of Willcox and the surrounding area that I have talked to think this is going to be a family-owned and operated like the Harris's, but it's not going to be," said Moreman, adding that it is "going to be a large slaughterhouse that will be slaughtering around 600 head of cattle per day or shift." (A letter to the editor written by Moreman is on page A4.)
During call to the public at the Dec. 7 council meeting, Anne Fisher, who lives within one mile of the proposed plant, expressed concerns about what it "will do to our city and our property values."
"I do not see any value to the residents except for a few low paying jobs in one of the most undesirable and controversial industries in the country," she said.
Fisher said the City of Holbrook turned down Tri-Western "because of the issue of smell and the city officials were concerned that they were not allowed to visit the plant in Tolleson."
"They also determined that there was little value for their city since there would be no sales tax paid because the product was brought in and then sent out; most of the workers were to be brought in; and the company people who would live in the area did not have to live in the city itself."
"The City of Snowflake, near Holbrook, also turned them down," she added.
Fisher said she sees a packing plant's possible value to area ranchers, "but not to the city residents."
"In my opinion, if we must have a slaughterhouse, it should be located away from town somewhere in the county," said Fisher, adding, "I can see no upside, but do see some significant downsides."
"The proposed slaughterhouse will be kill and quarter only, as I understand it, these being the lowest paying and messiest jobs with the most by-products," she said.
"After opening, these jobs will only attract migrants and others desperate for work."
The plant would use one of the most valuable resources the city has - water - "while increasing pollution and the smell to the surrounding residents, bringing down property values," said Fisher, adding, "Increased traffic by their trucks on the city streets will require more street maintenance and cause more noise."
"Not only do they need to bring the cattle in, but they also must kill and move the product out of town."
"Now that the zoning law has changed, it opens Willcox to many other undesirable industries that can open within city limits."
Fisher referred council members to the documentary film, "Food, Inc.," which features the largest slaughterhouse in the country, "located in the small, economically depressed town of Tarhill, N.C.," she said.
"Initially, some of the poor people there worked in the plant, but they soon went through all of the workers there, and now have to recruit and bus them in from a 100-mile radius," said Fisher, adding, "This is one of the most dangerous jobs in America, with many injures to the workers."
"Meat packing facilities are tending to become larger and the proposed facility could become too large for our beautiful city," Fisher said.
Mayor Sam Lindsey told Fisher that council is not able to respond during call to the public, but she would probably receive a response later.
Local rancher Keith Klump responded to Fisher at the Dec. 21 meeting, saying that the plant "will have a value very similar to that of the Willcox Livestock Auction.
"Look what the livestock auction has done for our community," said Klump, referring to people and vehicles brought into Willcox over the years, benefiting local service stations and restaurants.
"Not having a packing plant is like an old cowboy that has a herd of cows but doesn't have a bull," he said.
"We have a livestock auction here, but almost every one of those cattle leave town. An auction and packinghouse should complement each other."
Addressing the issue of unskilled labor, Klump asked how many at the meeting had ever slaughtered cattle.
"You have to be highly skilled to do that job," he explained.
"There may be problems associated with it (the plant), but there's problems with anything anyone does," Klump said.
"If these people do their homework, they can keep the problems down. I'm thinking now it is an opportunity that will benefit Willcox for generations to come."
In a Dec. 15 letter to council, Jeff Stoddard, the city's supervisor of development services, said his department contacted government agencies about their local packing plants. While this information was available in council members packets, it was not presented in open meeting.
Staff called the Maricopa County Air Quality Division about Tri-Western, since it was in their jurisdiction while located in Tolleson. An official with the division told Stoddard that while it had some violation calls on Tri-Western, he had "just as many on their waste water treatment plant."
"The Air Quality Division did say with odors it can be a difficult item since people have different senses of smell," said Stoddard, adding that the division has written notice of violations on Tri-Western, "but all had been resolved."
The official told Stoddard that Willcox needs "to have municipal codes or ordinances that control sanitary, nuisances, or odors," and must enforce them.
Stoddard said that Willcox "does have the means with Title 5" of city code.
Staff discussions with the City of Tolleson showed no complaints on record for Tri-Western.
Stoddard had asked Neighborhood Services Specialist Israel Diaz about other meatpacking plants located within Tolleson city limits.
Diaz mentioned that at one time Tri-Western was located in Tolleson, but had moved on and sold their property "but at their own accord," he said.
In Holbrook, Stoddard said that the matter never went to its city council.
In a Dec. 15 letter to the city, Tri-Western President Dave Walker Sr., requested permission to operate its plant at 1105 North Haskell Avenue.
"The area is zoned for I-1 (Industrial) which we understand permits the activities we are planning to perform on site," said Walker, adding, "We understand that we will have to comply with the city's requirements on sewage and solid waste disposal, including restricting blood flow into the sewer system. There will be no 'rendering' on site."
Stoddard told the council that City Manager Pat McCourt and staff recommended approving Walker's request, with the requirements as listed in the resolution, which Councilwoman Monika Cronberg described as having "very strict guidelines in place," but was ultimately tabled due to the proposed move.
"I intend to live here," Estrella reminded the council. "Why would we come to Willcox to build slums? I'm not going to be involved in anything that's going to negatively impact our family."
"We are not in the stink business," he continued. "That's not what we do. We're not going to do a tannery. We're not going to bring in boilers."
"No one is opposed to progress," Councilman Jimmy Norris told Estrella.
"It's about being a good neighbor. Laura Anne needs to have her concerns addressed."
"We'll continue our efforts," replied Estrella, adding to Bethel, "If we missed you, I'm sorry."
After the lengthy discussion, Councilman Woody Johnson moved to table the item and set the work session, which was unanimously approved.
The original motion to approve the plant failed, with nay votes by Lindsey, Schultz, Norris, and Councilman Chris Donahue. Johnson, Klump, and Cronberg voted in favor.
Both Jan. 4 meetings will be held in council chambers, 300 W. Rex Allen Drive, and will deal with an application by Tri-Western Meat Packing, Inc. to operate its meatpacking plant at a building across the street from the previously planned location, formerly occupied by Arizona Apple, at 1105 North Haskell Avenue.
Originally, Tri-Western officials had approached the city, hoping to open a plant at the old apple warehouse on Business 10 at 1126 North Haskell Avenue.
They then decided that the old Arizona Apple building better suited their needs and would "get us online as quickly as possible," explained Operating Manager Efrain Estrella.
The new proposed location is about 300 feet from the front door of Laura Anne Bethel, who has lived there nearly 50 years, she told the council at its Dec. 21 meeting.
"When we moved to this location, there was nothing out here except the auction barn, and it was not in city limits," said Bethel. "I was raised on a dairy farm so I'm very aware of animals."
She described her family's bad experience with pollution from the former apple processing plant at the same location.
"It was just a couple of days ago that I was informed that this intended business would not be on the North side of Haskell, but would be next to me," she said.
"That news has created total turmoil in my life," said Bethel, asking the council to postpone any action on the plant "until we have time to have our questions answered and concerns discussed."
"I not only think of the impact on my property value sinking, but on the total environmental aspect of this whole thing so close to the populated town," she said.
In her remarks, Bethel's daughter Peggy Sue Kyselka, said that while not a Willcox resident, "I do hold a vested interest in property whose value will be affected by this vote."
Kyselka said she could find no record on an environmental impact study, nor a detailed review of potential off-site issues and impacts.
She raised four major concerns - truck traffic, noise, pollution control, and water use and conservation.
As to truck traffic, Kyselka asked about damage to city streets from increased trucks and heavy loads, and asked if property taxes on this site would be enough to cover repairing damage to the streets.
She asked if a right hand turn lane would be added to Haskell Avenue "to accommodate slow moving trucks preparing to turn into the site."
Citing safety concerns, Kyselka said should trucks become backed up on North Haskell while waiting to unload, "they should not be sitting in the thru-lane or on the shoulder of the road."
In terms of noise, she asked what measures would be taken to minimize truck traffic noise.
"Will the site design allow truck maneuvering such that trucks do not have to back up or back into loading zones and activate their back-up beepers? Will the city's current noise ordinance apply to this site?"
Kyselka asked how the plant would minimize or eliminate cattle and machinery noise.
In terms of pollution control, she asked how the plant would collect, store, and dispose of liquid and solid live and/or dead animal waste products; and insure that those materials do not seep into the soil and groundwater.
She also asked about the plant's vector control plan and how it would control flies and other pests on site.
"Will the operation maintain any animal waste composting facility, and if so, what would be composted?" she asked.
"How will the operation insure that (dust) from soil, manure, or other operation materials will not leave the property?" said Kyselka, adding, "Will all vehicular traffic areas off site be required to have a dust-proof surface?"
Kyselka stated that the proposed site lies within a flood plain, and asked how the plant would control "storm water runoff such that oils, toxic fluids, and animal waste to insure it does not contaminate groundwater or neighboring properties," noting that "flood water flows towards the more populated area of Willcox."
Addressing water use and conservation, Kyselka asked about the plant's projected water use per year.
While potable water would be provided through the city's well, she asked how it would insure that potable water on and off site would "not be contaminated by waste generated by the operation or vectors and pests attracted to the operation."
"Some of these questions have been partially answered at previous city council meetings, however, I feel further investigation is needed," she said.
"I am aware that a Tri-Western representative has stated that the septic tanks would be sealed," said Kyselka, asking if one of the three local septic hauling companies would be used in pumping these tanks.
"If so, would they be dumping the loads into the city's sewer treatment plants?" she said.
"How would this affect the ADEQ permitting of the city's treatment plant? Has the city not had recent problems in maintaining limits within the current guidelines?"
"I am not singling out the meat slaughtering industry. I would also be opposed to a munitions plant, a tannery, or a paper mill on the proposed site," she said. "Surely there must be a more appropriate site for a facility such as the one proposed by Tri-Western."
Willcox-area resident Gene Moreman told the council it needs to consider what "this packing plant will entail in the future."
"Most residents from the City of Willcox and the surrounding area that I have talked to think this is going to be a family-owned and operated like the Harris's, but it's not going to be," said Moreman, adding that it is "going to be a large slaughterhouse that will be slaughtering around 600 head of cattle per day or shift." (A letter to the editor written by Moreman is on page A4.)
During call to the public at the Dec. 7 council meeting, Anne Fisher, who lives within one mile of the proposed plant, expressed concerns about what it "will do to our city and our property values."
"I do not see any value to the residents except for a few low paying jobs in one of the most undesirable and controversial industries in the country," she said.
Fisher said the City of Holbrook turned down Tri-Western "because of the issue of smell and the city officials were concerned that they were not allowed to visit the plant in Tolleson."
"They also determined that there was little value for their city since there would be no sales tax paid because the product was brought in and then sent out; most of the workers were to be brought in; and the company people who would live in the area did not have to live in the city itself."
"The City of Snowflake, near Holbrook, also turned them down," she added.
Fisher said she sees a packing plant's possible value to area ranchers, "but not to the city residents."
"In my opinion, if we must have a slaughterhouse, it should be located away from town somewhere in the county," said Fisher, adding, "I can see no upside, but do see some significant downsides."
"The proposed slaughterhouse will be kill and quarter only, as I understand it, these being the lowest paying and messiest jobs with the most by-products," she said.
"After opening, these jobs will only attract migrants and others desperate for work."
The plant would use one of the most valuable resources the city has - water - "while increasing pollution and the smell to the surrounding residents, bringing down property values," said Fisher, adding, "Increased traffic by their trucks on the city streets will require more street maintenance and cause more noise."
"Not only do they need to bring the cattle in, but they also must kill and move the product out of town."
"Now that the zoning law has changed, it opens Willcox to many other undesirable industries that can open within city limits."
Fisher referred council members to the documentary film, "Food, Inc.," which features the largest slaughterhouse in the country, "located in the small, economically depressed town of Tarhill, N.C.," she said.
"Initially, some of the poor people there worked in the plant, but they soon went through all of the workers there, and now have to recruit and bus them in from a 100-mile radius," said Fisher, adding, "This is one of the most dangerous jobs in America, with many injures to the workers."
"Meat packing facilities are tending to become larger and the proposed facility could become too large for our beautiful city," Fisher said.
Mayor Sam Lindsey told Fisher that council is not able to respond during call to the public, but she would probably receive a response later.
Local rancher Keith Klump responded to Fisher at the Dec. 21 meeting, saying that the plant "will have a value very similar to that of the Willcox Livestock Auction.
"Look what the livestock auction has done for our community," said Klump, referring to people and vehicles brought into Willcox over the years, benefiting local service stations and restaurants.
"Not having a packing plant is like an old cowboy that has a herd of cows but doesn't have a bull," he said.
"We have a livestock auction here, but almost every one of those cattle leave town. An auction and packinghouse should complement each other."
Addressing the issue of unskilled labor, Klump asked how many at the meeting had ever slaughtered cattle.
"You have to be highly skilled to do that job," he explained.
"There may be problems associated with it (the plant), but there's problems with anything anyone does," Klump said.
"If these people do their homework, they can keep the problems down. I'm thinking now it is an opportunity that will benefit Willcox for generations to come."
In a Dec. 15 letter to council, Jeff Stoddard, the city's supervisor of development services, said his department contacted government agencies about their local packing plants. While this information was available in council members packets, it was not presented in open meeting.
Staff called the Maricopa County Air Quality Division about Tri-Western, since it was in their jurisdiction while located in Tolleson. An official with the division told Stoddard that while it had some violation calls on Tri-Western, he had "just as many on their waste water treatment plant."
"The Air Quality Division did say with odors it can be a difficult item since people have different senses of smell," said Stoddard, adding that the division has written notice of violations on Tri-Western, "but all had been resolved."
The official told Stoddard that Willcox needs "to have municipal codes or ordinances that control sanitary, nuisances, or odors," and must enforce them.
Stoddard said that Willcox "does have the means with Title 5" of city code.
Staff discussions with the City of Tolleson showed no complaints on record for Tri-Western.
Stoddard had asked Neighborhood Services Specialist Israel Diaz about other meatpacking plants located within Tolleson city limits.
Diaz mentioned that at one time Tri-Western was located in Tolleson, but had moved on and sold their property "but at their own accord," he said.
In Holbrook, Stoddard said that the matter never went to its city council.
In a Dec. 15 letter to the city, Tri-Western President Dave Walker Sr., requested permission to operate its plant at 1105 North Haskell Avenue.
"The area is zoned for I-1 (Industrial) which we understand permits the activities we are planning to perform on site," said Walker, adding, "We understand that we will have to comply with the city's requirements on sewage and solid waste disposal, including restricting blood flow into the sewer system. There will be no 'rendering' on site."
Stoddard told the council that City Manager Pat McCourt and staff recommended approving Walker's request, with the requirements as listed in the resolution, which Councilwoman Monika Cronberg described as having "very strict guidelines in place," but was ultimately tabled due to the proposed move.
"I intend to live here," Estrella reminded the council. "Why would we come to Willcox to build slums? I'm not going to be involved in anything that's going to negatively impact our family."
"We are not in the stink business," he continued. "That's not what we do. We're not going to do a tannery. We're not going to bring in boilers."
"No one is opposed to progress," Councilman Jimmy Norris told Estrella.
"It's about being a good neighbor. Laura Anne needs to have her concerns addressed."
"We'll continue our efforts," replied Estrella, adding to Bethel, "If we missed you, I'm sorry."
After the lengthy discussion, Councilman Woody Johnson moved to table the item and set the work session, which was unanimously approved.
The original motion to approve the plant failed, with nay votes by Lindsey, Schultz, Norris, and Councilman Chris Donahue. Johnson, Klump, and Cronberg voted in favor.
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Julie Kay Smithson researcher wrote on Jan 2, 2010 4:47 PM: