By Mary Johnson
Sharps Chapel residents have been meeting at the Sharps Chapel Senior Center once a month to share the latest news, research and concerns regarding the new Mexican-owned Sanfer SPF egg production factory farm. The facility will eventually house 72,000 chickens in eight concrete block buildings on the historic Sharp family farm on Sharps Chapel Road.
Most residents first learned of the plans at a Neighborhood Watch meeting on August 12 where Union County Mayor Jason Bailey introduced three Sanfer representatives and their US consultant. The meeting was crowded, it was hard to hear as there was no sound system, and there were technical difficulties with the presentation, resulting in lots of unanswered questions as the meeting ended abruptly at 9:00. We were told that this was a done deal because we have no zoning.
Concerned citizens wanted to know more. Hence, the need for citizen-led community meetings to share information from followup discussions with Sanfer’s US consultant, based in South Carolina.
At the September County Commissioners meeting, a presentation was made voicing those concerns, and there were many. It was reported in a fair and unbiased manner by this paper.
To get quickly up-to-speed on the topic, view the 10-minute presentation via streaming anytime from this link: www.tinyurl.com/friends-spfeggs.
If you only attended the first meeting in August, you don’t have all the facts. If you think this does not affect your property value in Sharps Chapel, many of your neighbors disagree with you.
This facility, as it has been presented to us thus far, will have 6 foot high chain link fencing with barbed wire along the top. It will conjure up images of a prison. Not exactly something you would expect or welcome in a rural, residential location like Sharps Chapel.
When you want to sell your property in the future, the potential buyers may look at it and have second thoughts.
At our recent November meeting, Union County Commissioner Sidney Jessee, from the City of Luttrell, took time out of his busy day and listened to our concerns.
His philosophy is that since he votes on the County Commission, he needs to be aware of what is going on in the entire county―something we appreciate very much.
We continue to extend an open invitation to both of our Sharps Chapel commissioners, Jeffrey Brantley and Kenneth Hill, in the hope that they will come to hear our ever-growing voice.
If the Mexican SPF egg factory is a done deal, then why is there a need for Friends of Sharps Chapel? This is a commonly voiced question from many concerned citizens. We were never asked or consulted on whether we wanted this in our community. Nashville recommended four locations to this company and our community was the “last man standing” because the other three counties were able to kill the deal. What do they know that we don’t? What else could be coming down the road in our future that would continue to erode away at our property values, our safe, rural lifestyle, or our clean air and water?
Please join us at our next meeting and help us take control of the destiny of Sharps Chapel.
Don’t be one of those people that says they stand up for principles until it comes time to roll up their sleeves and get some work done. It’s time for citizens to take action.
Next meeting: Tuesday December 7, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Sharps Chapel Senior Center. Please bring a neighbor.