Letters to the Editor 02-16-2000
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Tire Dump - Accountability - Property Damage - Cheap And Unfair
Tire Dump
Editor, Times-Union:It sure is nice to see the tire dump at Atwood finally being cleaned up. The people in this area owe a big "thank you" to some men and women who have worked hard for several years to see this through and finally get some action. Justin and Laura Roberts, Jim and Pam Roberts and Bill and Evelyn Bradbury have spent their own money; spent thousands of hours; endured threats against them, their children and grandchildren; and still fought to do what was best for this area.
There have been articles in the paper about IDEM going with the company they did to get this clean-up done. Pri-Mix, the company that is questioning the selection, is a new company with a lot of promise for the future. If the company is a success, it would still take years to use the tires from that dump, instead of getting it done in a year and a half. Add to that, many of us are glad to see the clean-up out of the hands of the people that created the mess to begin with, and at least one of them is involved with Pri-Mix.
Also, many people are wrongly blaming IDEM for delaying the clean-up. About 5 years ago, IDEM and dump owner, Garry Baker, signed an agreement to get the dump cleaned up. This agreement was also signed by State Representative, Dave Wolkins. This agreement was meant to save the taxpayers the cost of cleaning up a mess that our county officials should have stopped, but instead chose to ignore. However, not one item in that agreement was ever done, so IDEM was left with no choice but to have the clean-up done. IDEM went over and above what they should have because of pressure from local and state politicians to let this illegal and dangerous dump operate.
Now, many people are worried about what happens after this clean-up is done. We have received verbal assurances that no more tires will be allowed to be illegally dumped at this site. However, past experience leaves us more than a little skeptical. Rules, regulations and the law did nothing to prevent this mess from happening once, and we can only hope that our local officials have learned from their past mistakes and won't let this happen ever again.
Steve Haines
Warsaw
Accountability
Editor, Times-Union:Nearly every day around this world, there are conference rooms filled with executives discussing ways to satisfy stockholders by increasing profits, utilize more efficiently the available resources, deal with government regulations, and sugar coat their motives when confronted by the public.
I know and admire folks like the Romines and Foltzs for being willing to speak up when they feel there is an injustice. They, like myself, are small business owners feeling the repercussions of such meetings.
Their efforts will probably be fruitless. We can only find peace in knowing that our time on this earth is short and all that we possess is only borrowed.
The day will come when we will be held accountable as to whether we used those resources given us to serve ourselves or others.
Nicholas Yoder
via e-mail
Property Damage
Editor, Times-Union:My wife and I live on the corner of Backwater Road and W20 Lane in North Webster. We are retired and we try to do what is right for ourselves and for others. Sometimes I think this pays, sometimes I wonder.
On Sunday night (2-13-00), somebody left the road and damaged one of our evergreens. The state law requires that you have auto insurance. I guess all I can say is, if you have a conscience, let it be your guide.
John Jacobs
North Webster
Cheap And Unfair
Editor, Times-Union:In my opinion the trashing of Mr. Paul Siebenmorgen's reputation in the Times-Union Saturday, Feb. 5, 2000, "Potpourri" section was inappropriate. I've known Mr. Siebenmorgen for all 18 years of my life. He has many good characteristics that greatly outweigh any of the negative comments listed in this article. The method employed to attack him was cheap, unfair and in poor taste. Even at my age I recognize it should not have been allowed to occur! In addition, my name is signed at the bottom of this letter, in contrast, no one took title to authoring the article with the near slanderous remarks regarding him.
Matthew E. Niemier
via e-mail
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- Tire Dump - Accountability - Property Damage - Cheap And Unfair
Tire Dump
Editor, Times-Union:It sure is nice to see the tire dump at Atwood finally being cleaned up. The people in this area owe a big "thank you" to some men and women who have worked hard for several years to see this through and finally get some action. Justin and Laura Roberts, Jim and Pam Roberts and Bill and Evelyn Bradbury have spent their own money; spent thousands of hours; endured threats against them, their children and grandchildren; and still fought to do what was best for this area.
There have been articles in the paper about IDEM going with the company they did to get this clean-up done. Pri-Mix, the company that is questioning the selection, is a new company with a lot of promise for the future. If the company is a success, it would still take years to use the tires from that dump, instead of getting it done in a year and a half. Add to that, many of us are glad to see the clean-up out of the hands of the people that created the mess to begin with, and at least one of them is involved with Pri-Mix.
Also, many people are wrongly blaming IDEM for delaying the clean-up. About 5 years ago, IDEM and dump owner, Garry Baker, signed an agreement to get the dump cleaned up. This agreement was also signed by State Representative, Dave Wolkins. This agreement was meant to save the taxpayers the cost of cleaning up a mess that our county officials should have stopped, but instead chose to ignore. However, not one item in that agreement was ever done, so IDEM was left with no choice but to have the clean-up done. IDEM went over and above what they should have because of pressure from local and state politicians to let this illegal and dangerous dump operate.
Now, many people are worried about what happens after this clean-up is done. We have received verbal assurances that no more tires will be allowed to be illegally dumped at this site. However, past experience leaves us more than a little skeptical. Rules, regulations and the law did nothing to prevent this mess from happening once, and we can only hope that our local officials have learned from their past mistakes and won't let this happen ever again.
Steve Haines
Warsaw
Accountability
Editor, Times-Union:Nearly every day around this world, there are conference rooms filled with executives discussing ways to satisfy stockholders by increasing profits, utilize more efficiently the available resources, deal with government regulations, and sugar coat their motives when confronted by the public.
I know and admire folks like the Romines and Foltzs for being willing to speak up when they feel there is an injustice. They, like myself, are small business owners feeling the repercussions of such meetings.
Their efforts will probably be fruitless. We can only find peace in knowing that our time on this earth is short and all that we possess is only borrowed.
The day will come when we will be held accountable as to whether we used those resources given us to serve ourselves or others.
Nicholas Yoder
via e-mail
Property Damage
Editor, Times-Union:My wife and I live on the corner of Backwater Road and W20 Lane in North Webster. We are retired and we try to do what is right for ourselves and for others. Sometimes I think this pays, sometimes I wonder.
On Sunday night (2-13-00), somebody left the road and damaged one of our evergreens. The state law requires that you have auto insurance. I guess all I can say is, if you have a conscience, let it be your guide.
John Jacobs
North Webster
Cheap And Unfair
Editor, Times-Union:In my opinion the trashing of Mr. Paul Siebenmorgen's reputation in the Times-Union Saturday, Feb. 5, 2000, "Potpourri" section was inappropriate. I've known Mr. Siebenmorgen for all 18 years of my life. He has many good characteristics that greatly outweigh any of the negative comments listed in this article. The method employed to attack him was cheap, unfair and in poor taste. Even at my age I recognize it should not have been allowed to occur! In addition, my name is signed at the bottom of this letter, in contrast, no one took title to authoring the article with the near slanderous remarks regarding him.
Matthew E. Niemier
via e-mail
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