Board member Jim Traynor, a brother to Bob Traynor who is trying to sell land to Dean Doornick for a factory farm, said that we, the group in support of the moratorium, did not do our homework on getting the facts about  large-scale farm operations from the county and state.  Traynor said "If that group opposing this large scale farm operation did their homework from the state and county on those regulations.  Small farmers cause a great deal more pollution than these big operations.  There are more residents against the moratorium and recommended to the county not to push for the moratorium."

Chairman Lorne Hanson said there were 10 people for the moratorium, 9 against the moratorium and 3 as neutral.  Nelleson said that there was 11 against moratorium, 9 for and 2 neutral in his feeling.   Lorne Hanson said maybe these Factory Farms can benefit and save the small family farms by selling feed and animals to the big farms.  However, he still wanted some study done by the County Board.

Board members Nelleson and Traynor wanted to reject the moratorium due to the lack of information.  Lorne Hanson did not want the one year renewable moratorium but had formed a compromise that the County Board and Land Management committee should meet and discuss the regulations and if needed add changes to those regulations.  He felt that a 6-month period starting on November 1 of 1999 to May 1 of 2000 would give the County Board and Land Management time to review and make changes if needed.

Hanson made a motion to have a six-month period for the county board to make a decision on regulations of these large-scale farms.  Traynor and Nelleson both voted no on Lorne Hanson's motion for a compromise on the moratorium.  Then 3 letters were read in front of the town board pleading to have the moratorium be passed.  Two were town residents and one was from Trout Unlimited.  Two letters from the residents stated that Jim Traynor is a brother to Bob Traynor and should not vote on this.

All three letters stated that we need time to investigate this issue and make sure there is proper funding to regulate such an operation.  A fourth letter was sent by Cathy Hughes asking for a moratorium but was never read at the meeting.

Hanson questioned the statement about St. Croix and Tremplealeau County animal unit regulations and the claim that Pierce County basically has the same regulations.  Traynor stated that there is no state law that says that a Township or County can impose a moratorium.  Traynor said that a large hog farmer from Iowa is suing a county for imposing a moratorium.  Traynor said he doesn't want the county or township to be involved in a lawsuit.

Hanson said to reject the moratorium and resolution because of inaccurate statements and that Pierce County has regulations.  Hanson proposed his compromise of a 6-month review by the County Board and Land Management starting on November 1, 1999 to May 1, 2000.  Hanson felt this would be enough time to review the regulations and make any changes if necessary.  Hanson made the motion for this 6-month review by the county board and Traynor and Nelleson voted No.

Don Nelleson made a motion to reject the petition and the moratorium.  Hanson also reminded Jim Traynor about voting due to the letters of the citizens and warned about possible conflict of interest.  Traynor admitted that he was a brother to Bob Traynor (the man wanting to sell the land to Dean Doornick) but felt it was his right as a town member to vote.  Traynor second Nelleson's motion for a rejection of the petitions and the moratorium.  Hanson asked for a vote on the motion.  Nelleson and Traynor voted YES and Hanson voted NO on the rejection of the petition and the moratorium.  They will not send any of the petition signatures to the county board.

With Hanson voting No on the rejection of the petitions, this will open Jim Traynor for conflict of interest and it will most likely open Don Nelleson for conflict of interest too.  Don Nelleson is a grain farmer in Gilman township and is living off low, second rate grain prices.  Nelleson is using his position on the town board to allow Doornick to come in and get a good price on his grain and become rich.  Nelleson doesn't realize that these factory farms usually don't buy grain locally but from South America or Canada where it is even cheaper.  As stated before, Jim Traynor is a brother to Bob Traynor.