MILFORD – A major agriculture facility north of Milford is expected to bring jobs and investments to the area. Karen Chupp, who lives near the 270-acre site along North CR 100E, wants to know it won’t tank her property value or ruin her son’s health. Chupp was one of several residents who attended the Milford Town Council meeting Monday to air objections to Trupointe Cooperative Inc.’s plans to build a grain and fertilizer complex at CRs 100E and 1300N. The land attracted the company in part because of its proximity to north-south and east-west rail lines, allowing them to reach national and international markets, said Mike Jackson, chief marketing and strategy officer. And though Jackson said they've taken strides to mitigate any effects from grain unloading, fertilizer storage and truck traffic expected to average 200 a day in peak seasons, he admitted he wouldn’t want to live next to it either. “Honestly, we’re losing some utilization of our land” to such abatements, “but frankly, I wouldn't want that in my backyard either,” he told residents. He said he understands the proposal is frustrating to them, but said Trupointe operates a similar plant in South Charleston, Ohio, with no complaints. Trupointe owns more than 30 facilities in Ohio and Indiana, and other company representatives indicated Monday that locations near residences receive no complaints. “Can you guarantee me that? I want that in writing,” Chupp replied. Chupp asked also if she would be reimbursed for any depreciation to her home, and wondered why they didn’t offer to buy her property outright. Jackson said buying nearby houses wouldn’t be a practical solution, but promised the company would “do every doggone thing we can” to alleviate any potential problems. “You are going to get less noise, less dust, less odor than anything you feel like you're going to expect,” he said. But “we are not in the business of buying properties on the chance that something bad may happen down the road.” “So you're saying my husband and I are screwed,” Chupp responded. George Robertson, president of the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, said he didn't think the facility would affect property values any more than existing railroads, and suggested she speak with an appraiser to get an idea of what to expect rather than “live with this cloud over your head.” Robertson also remarked on the 75 or so jobs the facility is expected to bring, saying that “new jobs in a community bring up housing values.” Dan Cochran, council member, and Dan Brown, chair of the Milford Redevelopment Commission, also remarked on the safety of the facility. Brown noted it will be scrutinized by multiple state and federal agencies, while Cochran compared it to a propane company west of Milford with a clean record despite heavy truck traffic. “As a community, we have managed something like this before,” Cochran observed. Brown also noted, in response to a comment from an audience member that Trupointe “snuck into” Milford, that town officials have been openly developing an industrial park north of town – directly south of Trupointe’s land – for two years. “It’s been kept no secret that the town of Milford has been pursuing industrial development on the north side of town,” he said. It’s unfortunate that some will be affected, “but it has not been kept a secret from Milford.” Also during the meeting, the council introduced a resolution to raise sewer rates by up to a third and set a public hearing on the rate hike for the regular meeting Jan. 14. Umbaugh and Associates, hired to assess the finances of the wastewater treatment department, recommended an increase of up to 35 percent for the department to be self-sustaining and pay back construction bonds. Council members indicated a desire to phase the increase in gradually, perhaps 10 percent at a time. “I do know that hitting folks with a rate increase of this size can be pretty tough all around, though I also understand the need for the increase,” Cochran remarked.
