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Saline County Study Members Present: Mark Belwood, Kathy Borgman, Wayne McReynolds, Marc Harris, Becky Plattner, Ruthie Cramer, Roy Hunter
Saline County Study Members Absent: Richard Clemens, Vince Buck, LeAnn Haling
Saline County Commissioners Present: Mike Dillon
Saline County Commissioners Absent: John Stouffer, Richard Pemberton
Saline County Extension Staff Present: Cynthia Crawford
Saline County Extension Absent: Gerry Snapp, Darin Starr
University Partners Present: Chris Fulcher, Tom Johnson, Vincent Burke, Chris Barnett
University Partners Absent: Mubarak Hamed, John Lory ,Kathy Miller, Anna Cox
Media Present: Chris Post, Democrat News

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Belwood at 7:10 p.m. Minutes were approved as mailed.

Communications Committee: Cynthia reported the brochure on the study has been printed and last Wednesday was mailed to 70 area organizations with a cover letter from the commissioners. Gerry Snapp has given a program at the Kiwanis and Mark Belwood addressed the Saturday Morning Optimists Club.

Photography Committee: Not much interest in this project as been received. The committee initially thought it a good idea not to make it a contest, perhaps they should have! Chairman Belwood asked the committee to meet and survey the situation.

Odor Committee: Tom Johnson presented the final draft report of the "Impacts of Animal Feeding Operations on Rural Land Values" as prepared by Mubarak Hamed, Thomas G. Johnson, and Kathleen K. Miller. Roy Hunter moved, Marc Harris seconded that the report be accepted. Carried. It was agreed that it be placed on the web as all other information that has been gathered. General discussion brought us back to the topic of change and how difficult and slow that is, yet we feel we have made good progress in representing divergent views around the table and we have generated valuable knowledge. What we do with this knowledge will be part of our discussion on the possibility of a year three of the study.

Following the break Chairman Belwood read a portion of a letter from Michael K. McKay presenting information about Bios Environmental Technologies, a company working on waste management. Mike Dillon’s comment was that the technology seemed more cost effective for the larger operations. The material will be forwarded to John Lory for study.

Scenarios Committee: Vincent Burke reviewed the idea of the county park system as a way to preserve the important natural resources of the county. It would show that the county is protecting that which is important on a county level, for example, salt springs. Possible partnerships might be developed with the Conservation Department or Department of Natural Resources. Mike Dillon said that from a county budget viewpoint such a proposal would have little prospects of happening. Current sales tax revenues for the last three years have been stagnant or have decreased. The opinion was expressed that there is already enough land under public ownership. However, tourism groups in the county are interested in such an idea. Perhaps they might invite Vinnie to meet with them. No decisions were made, the discussion will continue.

Options Committee: What needs to be done either this year or with an additional third year to successfully conclude the study? University partners felt Ron Powers would support a third year of the study with about the same level of participation as in the past. He will be retiring but will work with rural and community development and hopefully will stay connected to Saline County in some way.

Cynthia announced that Saline County has been chosen as a pilot for a UMKC initiative on technology and work force readiness. The existence of our study and information generated on the web page was a key factor in selecting Saline County. They consider the county about a year or two ahead of other counties in the area of technology.

In talking about what should happen in a year three of the study we discussed the importance of the continuance of some kind of citizen group to deal with the future of the county. We talked about the need to make statements to Jefferson City lawmakers both in the area of CAFO laws and zoning laws. While individuals have opinions about what the recommendations of the group to the commissioners should be, as a group we have not come to consensus. Perhaps this should be the focus of year three. Mike Dillon said he felt commissioners would like to do a year three if the focus stayed on the initial reason the group was formed, i.e. land usage and CAFOs.

Cynthia Crawford said that Ron Powers expertise in the area of public issues forums as developed by Kettering Foundation could be helpful. Such a process presents three scenarios around an issue (such as land usage) and offers time to discuss the pros and cons of each scenario. Kathy Borgman moved, Roy Hunter seconded, that we ask Ron Powers to present such a public issues forum as a three hour beginning to a retreat this fall or whenever it could be scheduled. Carried.

Tom Johnson asked, on behalf of Mubarak, if the committee members would be willing to complete an evaluation about the effect of the Impacts of Animal Feeding Operations on Rural Land Values. This will help him in his degree work. Group agreed. Committee will receive evaluations in mail soon.

Meeting adjourned 9:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Borgman
Recorder

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Last updated: October 13, 2000