Petitions seek to repeal poultry decision

September 9, 2009

By JoAn Bjarko

The Wellington

Wellington (Colorado) residents who want to undo the town board’s approval of a chicken processing facility turned in their petitions by the Sept. 3 deadline.

The next step is for town administrator and clerk Larry Lorentzen to verify that at least 179 signatures are from voters who live in Wellington. To be successful, organizers of the petition drive need signatures from 5 percent of Wellington’s 3,564 registered voters.

At the same time, the validity of signatures can also be challenged. State law sets time frames for all steps of the referendum process.

With enough signatures, the petitioners can request that the seven-member elected town board repeal the ordinance that gives Northern Colorado Poultry conditional approval to build a new plant in Boxelder Business Park on the north edge of Wellington. The board approved the plant with a 4-3 vote on July 28 after a contentious public hearing.

The earliest the town board can consider the petition is Oct. 13.

If the board does not repeal the processing facility’s conditional approval, the petition directs the board to schedule a townwide election, which could be held in December at the earliest.

The town board meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Agendas are posted on the town web site at www.townofwellington.com.