NICKERSON, Neb. (AP) - A key proponent of a proposed chicken plant in the Fremont area says the outcry against the facility hasn’t quashed economic developers’ hopes.
Randy Thelen of the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership says opposition heard Monday at a meeting in the village of Nickerson might cause the company to identify itself soon and acknowledge the community’s concerns.
The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Fremont Development Council are working to recruit a chicken processing plant that would generate a $1.2 billion annual economic impact and employ 1,100 workers while processing nearly 350,000 birds each day.
“If folks are willing to have an open mind and listen to the actual components of the project, then, yes, I do believe you can see the case for how this is an immense benefit to the greater community,” said Cecilia Harry, executive director of the Greater Fremont Development Council.
The village’s board voted unanimously against rezoning land necessary for the project to move forward in the proposed location. The vote followed more than two hours of speakers from a crowd of 100 residents, most of whom seemed to strongly oppose the project.
Residents cited worries about noise, pollution, traffic and an influx of what they said could be migrant workers.
“There are certainly neighborhood concerns that need to be addressed,” Thelen said. “The client takes those seriously and will be working to address those shortly.”
Thelen declined to name the company, but acknowledged that more transparency about the project is necessary.
“We just have to have a full conversation around it,” he said. “We’re not there yet. We need to make sure our elected officials can make a fully informed decision.”
Randy Ruppert, a Nickerson resident and director of a plant-opposition group called Nebraska Communities United, said the group will continue to take a stand against the plant.
“We just do not feel that it’s a good fit for Nebraska,” he said Tuesday. “We’re not resting.”
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