Tuesday night, the packed Arbor Park Intermediate School gym in Blair was the scene of heartbreak and disappointment for many Washington County residents.
Hundreds of people filed into the gym hoping to hear the Washington County Board of Supervisors deny applications for proposed chicken farms. The farms will supply the new Costco processing plant in Fremont with birds and will be built on land near Arlington, Blair, Herman Telbasta.
During the meeting, opponents and proponents were each given 45 minutes to speak about why the farms should or shouldn't be built. Opponents, mostly nearby Washington County residents, argued that the farms would damage the housing market in the area and would pose risks to the environment. Proponents say the chicken operations would bring more money into the local economy and would provide the farmers with a steady revenue stream.
In the end, the board sided with proponents, giving the okay for the applicants to start the planning and building process.