Boyle County residents are concerned over the proposed disposal of dead animals at the Alum Springs Convenience Center.

Boyle Fiscal Court entered an agreement with the Soil Conservation District to pay Boyle County $70,000 per year to compost dead animals. They had agreed to use the Perryville Convenience Center, however, due to tremendous outcry from the Perryville community about safety concerns, Alum Springs center is now being considered. 

It has been reported to me that Dr. Higgins from the University of Kentucky looked at the Perryville and Alum Springs sites and advised that the Alum Springs site was not recommended. The Fiscal Court has decided against these recommendations and is still considering the Alum Springs site.

Put this on hold until COVID-19 quarantine is over and we can openly voice our opinions or investigate other available options.

We believe our concerns over the safety and health of our community are not being given the same consideration as the Perryville community concerns.

The Alum Springs Convenience Center is located at the start of Clark’s Run, which flows into our water source, Herrington Lake. Composting dead animals, which could be up to eight per day or approximately 2,000 per year, could be dangerous to this water source. The area in question gets lots of rain and runoff is more of a probability instead of possibility.

The Alum Springs community has been an aging community, however, recently young voices can be heard playing ball and running outside. The magistrates stated they have been to a similar site in Frankfort to check on the odor surrounding the area. They stated there was no smell from the site. 

When I asked Ron Short, magistrate for my area, if they went during the summer months, he said no. I believe the compost will definitely have an odor and will definitely have an effect on all the kids running and playing in the area, not to mention those of us who have many outside activities with our children and grandchildren.

The surrounding businesses will be negatively impacted if the composting takes place. We have a local ice cream establishment, and are within two miles of a distillery. How will the smell and the runoff from the decomposing animals impact their businesses? I can assure you it won’t be good.

There are other readily available options, for example, Tri-County landfill currently takes dead animals.

Paula Bodner

Parksville