The Silsbee City Council meets Dec. 15 to vote on the second reading of an ordinance to permit small slaughterhouses and packinghouses in the city limits.
According to the City Council's agenda, after voting consent agenda items, the council will discuss a possible slaughterhouse at 603 FM 418, site of the old Silsbee Doctors Hospital, which was requested by Rex and Kimberly Rehmeyer, of Houston.
After the discussion, the council is set to vote on a second reading on an ordinance to permit small slaughterhouses and packing houses in all areas not zone for single-family or duplex residential for the provision of specific use permits.
Dec. 1, the council reportedly voted 4-3 for the first reading on the ordinance during a special meeting.
According to The Silsbee Bee, Goliath Concepts purchased the old Silsbee Doctor's Hospital property and plans to convert the building into a small-scale slaughter and packing facility. The company projects 30-50 jobs within the first two years and noted the nearest comparable operation is in Corpus Christi.
According to an internet search, Goliath Concepts, LP is based in Kingwood.
Mayor Danny Reneau broke a 3-3 tie which resulted in a second-reading of the ordinance. Favoring the ordinance were Councilmembers Curt Woodard, Paul Davis and Tina Holman. Councilmembers opposing were Mayor Pro Tem William Bass, Thomas Tyler and Bruce Kay.
According to The Silsbee Bee, City Attorney Solomon Freimuth reportedly noted the expiration of the city's long-term growth plan, which guided development from 2000 to 2020. He also reported the city is currently pursuing a grant to develop a new Comprehensive Plan to guide future land-use decisions.
The proposed slaughterhouse is close to the Complete Healthcare Services and Hardin County Health Services branch office.
Slaughterhouse wastewater high in nitrogen
Also during the meeting, it was reported Public Works Director Roger Martin announced that a $74,000 state fine from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), related to elevated nitrogen levels in the city's sewer system, was waived after the city demonstrated that levels had returned to acceptable limits.
Ironically, council reportedly approved a $10 monthly charge on water and sewer accounts to create a dedicated fund for system improvements. Officials emphasized the revenue will be deposited into a separate account restricted to water and sewer upgrades.
But city officials refused to mention that slaughterhouse wastewater is high in nitrogen (and phosphorus) due to blood, urine, feces, and cleaning processes, making it a major industrial pollutant that fuels harmful algal blooms and creates aquatic "dead zones," requiring advanced treatment like nitrification-denitrification to remove these nutrients, according to experts.
Experts report slaughterhouse effluent is rich in proteins and amino acids from animal tissues, blood, and other bodily fluids, all containing nitrogen.
Slaughterhouse facilities use vast amounts of water for cleaning, flushing away waste, and processing, creating large volumes of nutrient-laden wastewater.
According to industry data, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies slaughterhouses as a leading source of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, with some plants discharging as much nitrogen as a small town's sewage.
Background on Rehmeyers
According to Rex Rehmeyer's social media accounts, he is a senior business system analyst with Managed Digital Documents, and currently property manager with Goliath International Inc. since 2017, and ranch manager for the Duke & Regan Ranch in Shepherd, Texas, since 2019.
He is also a licensed real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty in Kingwood and office manager for Triple Play Insurance Agency in Texas.
Bloomberg reports Goliath International Inc. was founded in 2009 and their business includes the retail sales of prepared foods and drinks for on premise consumption. He attended Houston City College from 1995-97.
According to Goliath International Inc.'s website, they are a food products export company "providing a wider choice of Korean foods and products to global retailers in a cost-efficient way." Reportedly, they were established in 2016. Their mission is to grow into a global food trader.
The company reportedly is also a food export-specializing company, a food consulting business, and conducts local test marketing on behalf of Korean food manufacturers.
Kimberly Rehmeyer's social media shows her as an attorney, certified public accountant, arbitrator and mediator. She's also listed as the owner of The Voltaire Alternative Solution Center, LLC; owner of Wilkinson & Bidinger, P.C. and manager for BEC Partners, LLC (becpartners.com).
According to BEC Partners, LLC's website, she is managing director and co-founder of BEC Partners with Jonathan Glasser.
She graduated from the University of Houston with a Master of Business Administration in Tax and Accounting and a Juris Doctor of Law in 1999. She earned her bachelor's degree in English and Journalism from the University of Richmond (Virginia) in 1993.
Proposed site in 2016
In June 2016, Riceland Farms scouted Hardin County for a proposed slaughterhouse until a Facebook group stirred up opposition about environmental and religion concerns.
Riceland Farms' proposed meat-processing plant would have been the first commercial-scale slaughterhouse in the area and employ up to 200 people, company official reported.
The Facebook page, "Hardin County United Against Riceland Halal Meat Packing Plant," formed after reports surfaced that Riceland Farms was looking at potential sites in Kountze, Lumberton and Silsbee.
Earlier, Port Arthur officials rejected an proposed slaughterhouse because of residents concerned with a possible smell and impacts to water and sewer systems.