The citizens of Christian County, and more specifically Pembroke, got a chance to air their questions and concerns about a possible beef processing plant locating in Christian County Monday night at a public forum.
Around 150 people filled the old Pembroke gymnasium to hear what information is available about the industry that could build in Commerce Park #2 on John Rivers Road, with Brandon Garnett, a forum moderator, calling it a slaughterhouse that would process roughly 2,400 head of cattle a day and put approximately 70 or more trucks on the roadway hauling those cattle.
Multiple people spoke during a question-and-answer portion, with the majority of those against the facility and only a few neither for or against it. Sherry Byerline says it would cause financial hardship on Pembroke, but the City of Hopkinsville would receive the benefits.
Dan Mason was one neither for or against the industry, but he was against how it seems to have come about, specifically citing the signing of non-disclosure agreements among local leaders—he says if the community can’t have input, it shouldn’t happen.
Phillip Garnett argued that while Christian County does need a processing industry, it does not need a cattle processing one, as that’s not a part of the county’s culture.
Many concerned citizens voiced questions about environmental impacts, what physical and mental health impacts it could have on both employees and the surrounding community, possible increases in crime, how it would affect tourism and what kind of smell it would generate. The name of the potential company has not yet been released, and a date when they might determine if they will locate to the area is unknown.