City of Peabody gets public hearing on feedlot
Rick Brunetti, regional field director for Kansas Department of Health and Environment, has announced a public hearing May 16 for the City of Peabody at Peabody-Burns Elementary School multi-purpose room. A starting time will be announced at a later date, but Brunetti said the hearing will take place in the evening.
KDHE received 170 letters from people in Peabody and the surrounding area requesting a public hearing on the expansion of a feedlot belonging to Clarence Busenitz. The feedlot is situated just a mile southwest of Peabody on Mustang Road.
Brunetti said the hearing will be conducted by a KDHE regional director other than himself.
"To keep it objective, the hearing officer will be a regional director from another part of the state," he said.
The public is encouraged to attend the meeting. Each person will be asked to sign in at the door. At that time they will be asked to indicate whether or not they wish to address the hearing officer or present their written statements.
When the hearing begins either the hearing officer or another KDHE official will present a brief overview of the feedlot and then hear comments from the public.
The hearing will be recorded and later transcribed. The transcription will be available to the public and will become part of Busenitz's file with KDHE.
Currently Busenitz's son Jeff also has an application for feedlot expansion before KDHE officials. A public hearing will be granted on the same day as the Clarence Busenitz hearing if enough letters indicating opposition to the feedlot are received by KDHE no later than April 15. Letters already sent opposing the Clarence Busenitz expansion have no bearing on this second expansion by Jeff Busenitz.
Sample letters, the KDHE case number, and instructions are available at Peabody city building.
Letters should be addressed to Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Bureau of Water, Livestock Management Section, Curtis State Office Building, Suite 420, 1000 S.W. Jackson, Topeka 66612.
