

Your Community Needs You:
Attend the Public Meeting on Zoning for a Proposed CAFO!
Date & Time:
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
7:00 P.M.
Location:
Whitley County Government Center
Lower Level Meeting Room E
220 W. Van Buren Street
Columbia City, IN 46725

How a CAFO Could Harm Your Community:
- Foul Air & Odors – Strong smells from waste and dead animals can travel for miles.
- Dirty Water – Runoff pollutes wells, rivers, and lakes with harmful bacteria and chemicals.
- Lower Property Values – Living near a CAFO can slash home and land values.
- Pest Infestations – Flies, rodents, and insects thrive around waste.
- Water Supply Drain – Massive water use threatens farms, homes, and wildlife
- Pathogen Exposure – Potential for bacteria and viruses from manure to contaminate water or air, increasing disease risk.
Proposed Location


Sign the Petition
Contact the Columbia City / Whitley County Joint Planning & Building Department
Address:
220 W. Van Buren St., Suite 204
Columbia City, IN 46725
Main Phone: (260) 248-3112
Fax (Zoning Dept.): (260) 248-3187
Department Hours:
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
2025 Commission Members:
- Brent Emerick – brent@emerickfarms.com
- Kim Kurtz-Seslar – kurtz.seslar@gmail.com
- Travis Barker – travisb@bw-fusion.com
- Chad Banks – cbanks@whitleygov.com
- Dane Drew – dtdrew4@yahoo.com
- Jack Green – cherokee31w@gmail.com
- Thor Hodges – thorhodges@hotmail.com
- Mark Johnson – mjohnson46725@gmail.com
- Joe Wolf – joe.wolf1468@icloud.com
Contact
County Commissioners
Commissioner Theresa Baysinger
- District 3: Jefferson, Smith & Union Townships
- Office Phone: (260) 244-2376
- tbaysinger@whitleygov.com
Commissioner Rob Schuman
- District 2: Columbia, Thorncreek & Washington Townships
- Office Phone: (260) 244-2377
- rschuman@whitleygov.com
Commissioner Chad Banks
- District 1: Cleveland, Etna-Troy, Richland Townships
- cbanks@whitleygov.com