Minutes - Council - 07/14/1988 - Public Hearing

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use permit to Atlas is too important to the residents of Ramsey to be decided by City officials. The decision should be made by a vote of the citizens. There was an article that appeared in the Elk River Star News on July 12. In that article, Mr. Labat said that Ramsey city officials are doing a superb job of not being swayed by the emotionalism of residents. Does that mean they are not being swayed by what the people are saying and the will of the people? Are they only being swayed by the presentations being given to them by Atlas Incinerators? Marylou Terwey - 6055 158th Lane - The people have been had. The conceptual drawing of the facility that was presented in the Economic Development Company Newsletter shows no smoke stacks; this is misrepresentation. At the last Council meeting a statement was made that the City Council has to consider everybody's rights. Along with individual rights comes the responsibility to not pollute the air and water we share, not to devalue another property and maintain the standard of life we have. Will the emissions from the Elk River RDF be considered in the environmental assessment worksheet and how will they compound Atlas' emissions. I spoke with the Mayor of Winona and he raised interesting questions. He said that Winona has city sewer and water and would be able to test the water at one point; Ramsey has private wells; who will monitor those private wells; who will pay if they are contaminated? The Winona Mayor and Oouncil have been working very hard to keep a similar facility out of their area. Atlas is requesting $550,000 in tax increment revenues. Maybe this money would be better spent on improving Ramsey's school system or a recycling plant. In the event the ash proves to be non-toxic, can the landfill on Sunfish Lake Blvd. be considered for ash disposal? Can Ramsey afford to be labelled as a 'garbage city'? Council was elected to represent the public's needs and wishes. If Council approves Atlas' request for a permit, they will be remiss in their obligation to the people and they will truly have done this community a great disservice. This community deserves better than to live in the shadow of ground and water contamination and fear for our health. To put an incinerator in Ramsey would significantly lower our quality of life. Sophie Schutz - 16017 Nowthen Blvd. N.W. - I lived in Ramsey before it became a city and I watched it grow. I know industry and business are important to a growing city. Most of the people who spoke in favor of incinerating plants felt the additional tax base was an important issue. Property is already devaluating in Ramsey; we have had this enormous waste facility for years and taking in everybody's garbage. We don't need another facility to draw more garbage into Ramsey. The president of Atlas said that they will be burning 38 tons per day initially; initially is the key word. My children are grown and gone; we may retire and leave the area; I feel for the people remaining in Ramsey; don't let Atlas come into Ramsey. Liliana Heinen - 6370 143rd Avenue - I list Anoka as my address on my business card because I am ashamed of Ramsey. I would like to present a few questions: 1) Is the Atlas Corporation going to use an autoclave whose function is to break, through pressure, the hardest infectious vessels and materials and to subsequently burn, through heat, the protected bacteria and bacilli as ultimate sterilization process for the waste burned City Council Public Hearing/July 14, 1988 Page 11 of 15