(PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
WATERSHED REPORT … Sherry Fleming of the Williams County Alliance gives a detailed report of the findings from the Watershed Conference.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners gathered for its regular session on the morning of May 6 at 9:00 a.m., to address a range of fiscal, operational, and community matters. With President Terry Rummel absent, Vice President Scott Lirot and Bart Westfall addressed the agenda.
The meeting began with the approval of several routine resolutions, including minutes from the most recent April 29th session, the day’s current amended agenda, and the payment of county bills.
Commissioners also approved appropriations across various departments through Resolution 25-0207, which involved supplemental funding for the Police Corps and the Department of Aging.
Also approved were certified tax levies and rates as outlined by the county auditor. This is an annual, quarterly routine, and Commissioner Westfall presented the idea of possibly having a workshop session to further discuss these rates in detail.
During the new business segment, the commissioners reviewed several departmental reports, including the dog warden’s monthly report and the Williams County Treasurer’s monthly inventory and financial statements.
Notably, plans moved forward for the Bryan City Band Concerts this summer, with permits requested for events in June and July.
In addition, the board discussed a mortgage release on behalf of Shirley Kunkel for a 2017 matter, pending proper authorization from Rummel.
Sherry Fleming, from the Williams County Alliance, later provided a presentation update on an upcoming waterkeeper event.
This is being hosted and coordinated by the Waterkeeper of Lake Erie, Sandy Bihn. Titled “Assessing Manure in Lake Erie Watershed Conference,” this event will take place Thursday, May 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Entry costs are $30 per person, with proceeds going to the light breakfast and lunch provided as well as the overall cost of the speakers.
Fleming outlined how the utilization and disposal of animal manure, specifically cow livestock, from animal feeding operations continues to be an important farm management challenge. Often, many organizations do not follow CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines.
Often, even with requested animal permits denied by the state, businesses such as Schmucker Farms and JFS still bring in thousands of calves at a time, without following the necessary confined animal unit protocols. This increase in numbers has proposed a problem in animal agriculture associated with the proper disposal of animal waste.
Many violations have been issued along the Steuben County, Indiana, and Williams County lines, and while most have been working to achieve compliance with the regulation standards, many big-name companies still present issues to the water purity levels around the area.
For example, overflows of manure are often left unattended, and during rainstorms, animal waste is carried into the sewer systems. While there is a purification process for the water, it is advised that no waste be introduced for maximum purity.
However, much of the phosphorus and nitrogen runoff from manure makes its way to Lake Erie, contributing to harmful algae growth.
Fleming invited the commissioners to attend the event and to raise awareness of the current environmental stress happening in Williams County.
The meeting concluded with two executive sessions, as well as a reminder of several upcoming events, including a “Coffee with Commissioners” day at the Stryker Senior Center, a Williams CO Mitigation Planning Meeting, and a WEDCO Board meeting scheduled the following month.
With no further business to attend to, the meeting adjourned at 10:05 a.m.