Sawmill in Power County will continue operating

The only operating sawmill in Power County will keep running. After a public hearing Tuesday night, it was determined the sawmill will stay.

The sawmill is located on Syphon Road. It has been in operation since 2015. It was originally operated outside by a diesel engine. But the noise of the motor and the excessive sawdust caused some issues with the owner’s neighbors.

Now the owner, Tyler Jenkins, has moved the sawmill inside the shop on his property. It will also now be operated by electricity instead of the diesel engine.

Power County Planning and Zoning said since the business had grown from 2015, the agricultural zoning use clause for the land did not include processing materials on site. So they wanted to get that changed.

Robert Steinlicht, Power County building official, said at the public hearing Tuesday night people were very supportive of the mill.

He said around 20 came, most of whom were near or direct neighbors the mill. They all spoke favorably of the sawmill and supported its need to stay in the community.

Steinlicht said the planning and zoning board voted unanimously in favor. He said the board felt Jenkins had already been a big asset to the county and the board wanted that to continue.

He said they did have to give Jenkins a few conditions to meet though.

“He maintains safety issues,” Steinlicht said. “We’re going to ask him to explore the possibility of a second access to his property so that a fire engine could come in one access and exit the other.”

Steinlicht said Jenkins will also need to get a water source to the shed, in case of a fire or hazard.

He said Jenkins will have two years to meet all the conditions to keep that special use permit in place.

Steinlicht said he was very impressed with the community support for the sawmill.

“Having a sawmill present for Power County is a good thing because it becomes necessary at times to take it down,” he said. “If it just lays there untaken care of, it becomes a nuisance and a decay issue.”

The mill works with reclaimed lumber. It turns it into fence posts, side paneling and flooring. Steinlicht said the by-products can also be beneficial to local farmers. For example, he said the sawdust is often used a comfortable bedding for livestock.