BEATRICE – The condition of a road that’s become a focal point in opposition to a proposed concentrated animal feeding operation near Liberty….may be part of joint meeting of entities to do something about it.


South 176th Road near Liberty, Nebraska is a township road. Otto Farms of rural Adams is working with Summit Pork LLP to establish a 6,250 head swine confinement north of Liberty. The project is before the Gage County Planning commission, which has not yet made a recommendation on the permit application.
Farmer Dean Otto, who owns the land where the swine operation would be located, addressed the county board of supervisors Wednesday.


"The trees are over the road, it hasn't been graded so the road seems narrower than it actually is. I've seen some of the internet evidence....one is a school bus letter...and a township letter...saying that the road is not fit for semis...at least one more semi, a day. The other day I was down there for an hour and a half moving some dirt and there was three semis that went through there at that time...it was in the middle of the afternoon. If this road is so bad, why are we letting other semis go down the road? My question is, now that the schools said that road is not safe for a school bus, and the township says it's not safe for semis....who is actually liable for this?"


Gage County Attorney Roger Harris says efforts are underway to bring the county, township board, local school officials and others together regarding a resolution to the status of South 176th. "We are going to try to facilitate a meeting between the schools, the township board....to see what the issue is, if there is an issue. These were concerns that were brought to the public's awareness...and I think it's very important that we address those."


During a recent planning commission public hearing on the swine permit, the Liberty Village board and Island Grove Township board submitted resolutions opposing the planned operation, citing road issues as a factor.


Gage County Highway Superintendent Mark Kuhnke says the township board is primarily responsible for the road, which is a mile from the Gage-Pawnee County line.  "At this moment, the road condition, from what I can tell...is mainly lack of maintenance....and that's a township road."  Kuhnke says the county is cracking down to make sure trees are cleared from road rights-of-way. 

Prior to county supervisor meetings, Liberty area residents have picketed outside the courthouse in opposition to what they see as corporate farming in their area.