Setting the Record Straight on Meyer Material
Another situation that my opponent has used to scare up negativity is with Meyer Material. Yet again, the facts are not on his side. See below for the exhibit and more information:
The simple truth is that we took advantage of Meyer Material’s desire for a short mining extension to gain significant benefits for the village. In exchange for the extension, Meyer agreed to reclaim the terrain at this site so it will be ready to transform into a public park, including installing a walking path around the lake and providing a parking lot, in addition to paying all fines and penalties and making a cash donation to the park district allowing them to connect a path to the trail system. When the village made the original deal in 2008, the board didn’t have a final plan to reclaim the property after mining was completed, meaning Meyer would leave in 2016 and we, the taxpayers, would have to pay for the restoration. Now, we have a safe and usable restoration plan in place that results in significant taxpayer savings, providing a wonderful lake and park for our enjoyment for years to come.
During the extension process, we held multiple public hearings. The primary concern for residents was the noise and dust, so we required Meyer to bring in an underwater dredge to complete their mining which addressed these concerns. In addition, residents were eager for the mining to be completed, so we moved up Meyer’s requested deadline by an entire year. As a result, we now have an exit strategy and Meyer will be out of the village by June 1st, 2018.