BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Two Dexter citizens recently addressed the Stoddard County commissioners on their concerns of a slaughter house to be opened in their subdivision of Davis Survey.
Dale Kirkbride and Doug Clark said they had many questions about the business, Rock Ridge Farms Meat Company, that have not been answered including control of smell, potential respiratory diseases and would the slaughter house be in operation into the late night hours.
"Young kids don't need to see animals being killed," Kirkbride said of the neighborhood location for the slaughter house.
The business is proposed to butcher and slaughter animals on-site and sell meat to the public.
Kirkbride and Clark said they met with one of the investors of the slaughter house, Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver, before the Jan. 2 commission meeting and "nothing was resolved."
While Oliver was not in attendance during the meeting, he addressed the commission after the meeting and said while he is only an investor in the business and not a butcher, a 30,000 gallon tank will be on-site for the blood to be stored and the waste will be hauled away by a company. The waste will be stored in a freezer until it is hauled away.
Oliver also provided the following statement:
"Our group of investors are very excited to bring our community fresh, high quality locally grown meat and to provide an outlet for local farmers to market their animals to consumers. We believe local outlets for our local products will be the future of our rural economy. Our facility will maintain the highest standards for meat selection, processing and the operation of our facilities. We believe the only thing folks around our business will notice is the availability of the best local raised meat in the region."
Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis told Kirkbride and Clark he understood their concern, but Stoddard County had no ordinance in place on property use in the county.
Mathis suggested the two men get a group together of other residents from the subdivision and compile a list of their questions and concerns and work out a time with Oliver for him to address the group as a whole.
Commissioners Carol Jarrell and Steve Jordan both said they agreed with the advice provided by Mathis for the group to get a list together to present to Oliver.
Jail expansion discussion continued with Mathis saying the next step in the process would be to schedule a public meeting with Sheriff Carl Hefner to address some of the concerns and questions of the commissioners.
Mathis said he would not put anything on the ballot for the tax payers of the county without having some of his questions answered.
Jarrell said she had tax payers approach her with questions on whether or not there would be a tax increase question on the ballot and if there would be a sunset on the increase, so she would also like to ask Hefner more questions.
Stoddard County Clerk Joe Watson also updated the commission he would begin budget meetings next week and had a preliminary budget ready, but some adjustments would need to be made.