09-15-95 PCCITY OF OTSEGO PLANNING COMMISSION SITE INSPECTION
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1995 8:30AM - 4:30PM
MINUTES
8:30AM - everyone met at the City of Otsego Hall at 8899 Nashua Ave NE, Otsego, MN.
and boarded the bus at 8:45AM.
The Following rode the bus for the site inspections:
Gabe Davis Arleen Nagel Diane Shonvo
Tom Casey Bruce Rask Carl Swenson
Jim Kolles Richard Nichols Ing Roskaft
Elaine Beatty Bob Kirmis 011ie Roskaft
Excused absence for Gene Goenner and Mark Wallace, P.C. Members
Jim and Rita LeFebvre boarded the bus after we reviewed their present farm.
The City Council Members, due to conflict in schedules, they will do a site inspection of
the sites on their own.
The bus was arranged from Hogland Bus Co. in Elk River. After boarding the bus at the
City Hall, Carl Swenson explained that this is a site inspection of the Planning
Commission and only the Planning Commission or Council Members will be allowed to
ask questions at the sites. Chair Swenson asked if there was any questions on procedure?
Gabe Davis asked "will the bus take a trip down Packard Ave where the neighbors are? "
Chair Swenson answered: "Yes we will look at Jim LeFebvre's site".
Gabe Davis asked " Has LeFebvre told us how much land this business will incorporate?"
Chair Swenson answered: "It is located on 80 Acres and you can ask the question at the
continued hearing.
8:55AM - We arrived at Jim LeFebvres Farm on 70TH St.
Jim LeFebvre and Rita and two sons showed us around the farm and explained how the
present operation is run. ie. Cows milking/cows holding/ feed storage/young/new calves
area/manure storage.
Tom Casey, Attorney noted his objection to not being able to ask questions at the
sites.
Everyone got on the bus and we drove to 70TH and Packard and looked at the 80 acre
site proposed for the feed lot/dairy/manure lagoon. Jim Lefebvre pointed out where the
buildings and lagoon would be located. He showed us where the driveway entrance
would be.
CITY OF OTSEGO PLANNING COMMISSION SITE INSPECTION MINUTES
9/15/95
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9:30AM We reloaded the bus and headed towards Glenwood.
The bus stopped at a Saulk Center restaurant for lunch.
12:45 We arrived at the Richard and Dorothy Vold Farm.
l :00PM We toured the Vold Farm. Mr Vold welcomed us and gave an overview of the
farm operation. He told us that an average of three dairy farmers a day are going out of
business. We toured the offices and lunchroom. We were shown the computers and how
they are operated with the cows each having a numbered chip. They are tracked much
like the supermarket bar code. We visited the milking parlor/Milk storage
room/treatment barn for cows ready to calf/Lagoon (holds 3 Million gals liquid
manure)/Regular cow barns/Feed bunkers. Mr Vold explained the operation thoroughly.
They talked about a fly problem this summer with the high humidity. They installed
automated, organic fly control. (Cows are automatically sprayed three times a day).
We all thanked the Volds for their hospitality and proceeded to load the bus for home.
4:15PM - arrived back at City Hall. All the P.C. members picked up their P.C.
information from the boxes.
Arleen Nagel, Secretary
Minutes by Elaine Beatty, Recording Secretary.
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