Pea Ridge Community Center meeting Thursday

By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

Some Pea Ridge residents are expressing concern that a horse manure disposal facility could be moving to their area soon.

A Pea Ridge Community Center meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, March 10 at the community center, off Big Level Road in the Pea Ridge Community at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend, where the manure facility will be discussed.

The same issue arose last year when a manure facility was located off Hwy. 9 near the crossroads of Mill Spring. Area residents complained of strong odors and flies coming from the facility, where the majority of the horse manure was being hauled there from the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC).

TIEC Managing partner Mark Bellissimo responded last year that all hauls from TIEC would cease to the Mill Spring facility, which was operated by Tryon Equine Compost, owned by Corbett Stone. Bellissimo said last October that although TIEC is not contractually or directly involved in the manure disposal operation, TIEC felt a responsibility to address the issue since during TIEC’s competition seasons, they are the county’s largest producer of manure requiring offsite disposal.

TIEC and Stone have been looking for an alternative site since last year.

TIEC’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Sharon Decker said TIEC as well as Stone are looking at several alternative locations for the manure disposal facility but as of last week had made no final decisions. Decker said they are looking at properties in two counties, saying Stone’s business is privately owned, but TIEC is lending a hand to help him find a new site.

Decker has been invited to the Pea Ridge Community Center meeting this week and said she plans to attend.

“They are our neighbors so it’s important to get to know them,” said Decker. “I am looking forward to it.”