Asphalt plant protesters threaten lawsuit against Jeffersonville

Discussion

April 20, 2010

Asphalt plant protesters threaten lawsuit against Jeffersonville

City council also ponders changing street name

By DAVID A. MANN David.Mann@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Tue Apr 20, 2010, 12:54 AM EDT

JEFFERSONVILLE — Jefferson Court residents say they’ll take legal action against the city of Jeffersonville if steps aren’t taken to remove Mac Construction and Excavating’s asphalt plant from its Quarry Road location in the next 30 days.

According to Pat Barrow, who’s helped organize opposition to the plant, Mac doesn’t fit into the zoning classification, but was allowed to be there through as special exemption by the officials under the previous mayoral administration.

That discussion took place Monday night at a meeting of the Jeffersonville City Council. Barrow and others also have been critical of the current administration of Mayor Tom Galligan, saying it hasn’t done enough to protect residents.

“We’re asking the city council and Mayor Galligan to take an active stance in using our zoning codes to protect us,” she said. “You have an avenue that is legal and it’s right” she said, prodding officials to crack down on zoning violations on issues such as lighting, noise and odor.

Following Barrow’s presentation, the council and mayor said nothing and moved onto the next item on the council’s agenda. Galligan has said in the past that the company has been cooperative when approached by city officials and that it couldn’t shut it down if they hadn’t committed any violations. Also, the plant is properly permitted with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

The meeting didn’t end until after 9 p.m., so company officials could not be reached for comment.

Barrow said the problems posed by the plant were amplified when a buffer of mature trees between Quarry Road and the neighborhood was removed to make way for a proposed new road through the area. Barrow also opposes the road plan.

The company has since built a berm to subdue the unrest. However, Barrow has said she and neighbors will accept nothing less than Mac’s exit.

No action was taken on the matter.

In other business

• The council discussed renaming parts of Locust Street, north of 10th Street, after local civil rights leader Tom Bryant, who helped established the area’s NAACP chapter.

“This man was an individual who loved Jeffersonville,” said NAACP President Gary Leavell. “When there was problems in the community, it was Thomas Bryant they came to.”

Council members didn’t taken action yet, saying a procedure should be in place to handle requests for renaming roadways.

• Stormwater coordinator Deb Ashack reported that the proposed downtown canal project was advancing. The canal is scheduled to have its own logo and website, linked to cityofjeff.net, by the end of the month.

Galligan noted it also has its own slogan now: “The Canal: Can You Dig it?”

• The council approved budget appropriations for the police and fire merit commissions, information technology and the city’s construction and motor vehicle funds

• The council introduced, but took no action on, several changes to the city employees handbook related to the number of personal days available, a new pay range for employees who are on call and flex time.