Solon City Council Considers Deer Processing Contract

The Solon Safety Committee has selected Smokin-T to process deer meat resulting from culling efforts that will begin this year.

City council will consider final approval of the bid at its next meeting, set for Jan. 16 at .

Solon intends to use meat from the killed deer to donate to local hunger shelters. So the city has accepted bids from companies able to process the meat.

Smokin-T, the lowest bidder, can do the work for $4.99 per five-pound package. That price would remain through 2013.

The other two bidders, Trumbull Locker Plant and Geauga Farms, were nearly two-times as expensive.

Solon Public Works Commissioner Jim Stanek and Service Director Tom Bandiera toured Smokin-T's processing plant in late December. They gave the facility the thumbs up, saying it will be able to meet Solon's needs.

Solon plans to cull deer this winter and begin a pilot crossbow hunting program later this year. The move comes after Solon voters a law that would have banned deer hunting in the city.