As published October 13, 2011 in the Courier-Tribune
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR - Mack Trucks Inc. of Charlotte has purchased the former Sandhills Tire Company on Farmers Market Road in Candor.
The formal announcement was read by Mayor Pro Tem Layton Booker at the regular meeting of the Candor Board of Commissioners on Oct. 10.
The announcement said the company will provide service for all makes and models of trucks and expect to be in operation with three technicians by the end of November, with plans to add up to 10 employees.
Company officials said they chose the property because of its proximity to the interstate.
Booker presided in the absence of Mayor Richard Britt.
In other business, the board unanimously approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow the burning of biomass for energy production in the town’s industrial areas. The amendment had been changed to exempt any animal products in the biomass definition. The initial amendment allowed the burning of poultry litter.
Following a public hearing in September, with two commissioners absent, a vote of 3-0 was made in favor of an amendment allowing the burning of biomass for energy production in the town’s industrial areas.
On the advice of the town attorney, a second vote on the text amendment was held at the Oct. 10 meeting and was approved 4-0.
The change was needed because of plans by Mountaire Farms, a poultry producer, to construct a biomass facility for the purpose of generating steam and electricity on their property, which is located inside the Candor town limits.
Neighbors and concerned citizens mounted a campaign that opposed the project. The second amendment offered by the group was much more restrictive than the one approved by the town.
In other business, Commissioners Tim Privett, Philip Hearne, Leslie Thomas and Tim Smith:
• Approved a new contract with All American Associates to allow Ron Niland to act as a management adviser on behalf of the town. All American was already on retainer for grant-writing services.
• Tabled the purchase of signage for the town’s farmers market that adjoins the interstate highway until a local company could offer a bid on the project.
• Accepted a deed from Inez Blake and her son, Tommy Blake, of the Blake Family Partnership for five acres in the Sandhill Acres subdivision. The land is designated for a future park area.
Showing posts with label Tim Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tim Smith. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Candor commissioners say no to animal waste for fuel ♥
Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 14, 2011
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR — After Saturday’s notification that Mountaire Farms would use wood instead of poultry litter to make electricity to run its feed mill in Candor, the board of commissioners met Monday night as scheduled, held the public hearing and amended the town’s zoning ordinance.
The amendment was changed to prohibit the incineration of animal waste products, but the commissioners voted to allow biomass incineration in industrial-zoned areas.
The decision paves the way for Mountaire Farms, which operates a feed mill in the town’s city limits, to apply for a conditional use permit to construct a facility that would generate steam for plant operations and electricity to be sold to Progress Energy.
Mountaire had originally planned to burn poultry waste, which drew opposition from neighbors and people from as far away as Southern Pines and Aberdeen.
Prior to the hearings, Mountaire officials had met with Candor Mayor Richard Britt and had come to an agreement that the company would change their fuel source from poultry to wood waste.
“No chicken litter will be burned in Candor while I’m sitting in this seat,” Britt stated to the full house of citizens that crowded the meeting room.
The first person to address the board during the hearing was Chris Smithson, a town councilman from Southern Pines. He represented that board as he urged the Candor commissioners to “proceed with caution” and slow down the text amendment process until further research could be conducted.
The Mountaire facility is located near the headwaters of Drowning Creek, which is the primary source of drinking water for southern Moore County.
“North Carolina law provides that a conditional use does not require it to be safe, but that opponents must prove that it is unsafe,” Smithson said.
Bill Bruton of Candor, who has led the opposition, cautioned that even though chicken litter was no longer being considered by Mountaire, it was still considered biomass and could possibly be included for use by another company that may choose to locate in Candor in the future.
Although the public hearing was legally advertised in local newspapers, some Moore County citizens were upset with the process.
“I found out about this last weekend, which was a holiday, and I was mad,” said Carolyn Shaw of Aberdeen. “This was a stealth movement by the Town of Candor and we did not know about it. If something else comes up, you should let us know.”
Shaw told the board that companies like Mountaire and Fibrowatt are targeting poorer counties to build their plants.
“They don’t care about anyone’s health,” she said. “They are out for a buck. They are unreliable and you cannot believe what you are told.”
Fibrowatt is a company that had chosen a Montgomery County tract east of Biscoe to construct a large power plant that was to be fueled by poultry waste. That project has been stalled by the reluctance of power companies to sign a purchase agreement with Fibrowatt.
Concerns over the burning of wood over chicken litter were addressed. Bruton questioned the statements that a certain percentage of particulates would be captured by scrubbers in the smokestacks.
“If we’re told that 90 percent is captured, we have to ask, 90 percent of what?”
Bruton said that once a facility is up and running, “it would be difficult to rein it in if something bad happens.”
Commissioner Tim Smith said that he would support the amendment that the town was presenting as long as it was revised to exclude animal waste products as a fuel.
Brownie Newman of Combined Heat and Power, an Asheville company that will operate the plant for Mountaire, said that he thought that would be a good solution.
Following the meeting, Newman stated that his company plans to build a facility that would burn up to 70 tons of wood each day. When asked what would be done with the ash byproduct from the burning process, Newman said he did not yet know, but that he would have that information “within a few days.”
“Wood is not a regulated fuel source,” Newman said. “But, chicken litter is not regulated, either.”
In other business Commissioners Smith, Layton Booker and Tim Privett:
* Heard a brief report by Judy Stevens, Executive Director of Montgomery Economic Development Corp., in support of Mountaire Farms.
* Heard from N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Danelle McKnight about the new Candor Downtown Growers Market, scheduled to begin operation on Friday, Sept. 16.
* Will make a $100 donation to the local Boy Scout troop.
* Tabled a decision on signage for the Candor Farmers’ Market until local vendors can be contacted for a price quote.
by Hugh Martin
CANDOR — After Saturday’s notification that Mountaire Farms would use wood instead of poultry litter to make electricity to run its feed mill in Candor, the board of commissioners met Monday night as scheduled, held the public hearing and amended the town’s zoning ordinance.
The amendment was changed to prohibit the incineration of animal waste products, but the commissioners voted to allow biomass incineration in industrial-zoned areas.
The decision paves the way for Mountaire Farms, which operates a feed mill in the town’s city limits, to apply for a conditional use permit to construct a facility that would generate steam for plant operations and electricity to be sold to Progress Energy.
Mountaire had originally planned to burn poultry waste, which drew opposition from neighbors and people from as far away as Southern Pines and Aberdeen.
Prior to the hearings, Mountaire officials had met with Candor Mayor Richard Britt and had come to an agreement that the company would change their fuel source from poultry to wood waste.
“No chicken litter will be burned in Candor while I’m sitting in this seat,” Britt stated to the full house of citizens that crowded the meeting room.
The first person to address the board during the hearing was Chris Smithson, a town councilman from Southern Pines. He represented that board as he urged the Candor commissioners to “proceed with caution” and slow down the text amendment process until further research could be conducted.
The Mountaire facility is located near the headwaters of Drowning Creek, which is the primary source of drinking water for southern Moore County.
“North Carolina law provides that a conditional use does not require it to be safe, but that opponents must prove that it is unsafe,” Smithson said.
Bill Bruton of Candor, who has led the opposition, cautioned that even though chicken litter was no longer being considered by Mountaire, it was still considered biomass and could possibly be included for use by another company that may choose to locate in Candor in the future.
Although the public hearing was legally advertised in local newspapers, some Moore County citizens were upset with the process.
“I found out about this last weekend, which was a holiday, and I was mad,” said Carolyn Shaw of Aberdeen. “This was a stealth movement by the Town of Candor and we did not know about it. If something else comes up, you should let us know.”
Shaw told the board that companies like Mountaire and Fibrowatt are targeting poorer counties to build their plants.
“They don’t care about anyone’s health,” she said. “They are out for a buck. They are unreliable and you cannot believe what you are told.”
Fibrowatt is a company that had chosen a Montgomery County tract east of Biscoe to construct a large power plant that was to be fueled by poultry waste. That project has been stalled by the reluctance of power companies to sign a purchase agreement with Fibrowatt.
Concerns over the burning of wood over chicken litter were addressed. Bruton questioned the statements that a certain percentage of particulates would be captured by scrubbers in the smokestacks.
“If we’re told that 90 percent is captured, we have to ask, 90 percent of what?”
Bruton said that once a facility is up and running, “it would be difficult to rein it in if something bad happens.”
Commissioner Tim Smith said that he would support the amendment that the town was presenting as long as it was revised to exclude animal waste products as a fuel.
Brownie Newman of Combined Heat and Power, an Asheville company that will operate the plant for Mountaire, said that he thought that would be a good solution.
Following the meeting, Newman stated that his company plans to build a facility that would burn up to 70 tons of wood each day. When asked what would be done with the ash byproduct from the burning process, Newman said he did not yet know, but that he would have that information “within a few days.”
“Wood is not a regulated fuel source,” Newman said. “But, chicken litter is not regulated, either.”
In other business Commissioners Smith, Layton Booker and Tim Privett:
* Heard a brief report by Judy Stevens, Executive Director of Montgomery Economic Development Corp., in support of Mountaire Farms.
* Heard from N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Danelle McKnight about the new Candor Downtown Growers Market, scheduled to begin operation on Friday, Sept. 16.
* Will make a $100 donation to the local Boy Scout troop.
* Tabled a decision on signage for the Candor Farmers’ Market until local vendors can be contacted for a price quote.
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