Waupaca County’s Mission Statement says it “exists to provide services that empower and protect residents and guests.”
They abandoned that mission when AF Gelhar Mining Co. applied for a sand mine permit.
They disempower us when they allow the value of our homes to be diminished near the mine and along haul routes.
They disempower us when they deprive us of peace, tranquility and enjoyment of the natural beauty here.
They disempower us when they ignore their own zoning ordinances.
They disempower us when they allowed the mining company as much time as they wanted but limited citizens to only a few minutes, then warned us against repetition.
They disempowered us when they silenced us by signing a gag agreement.
They disempower us when they just accept the inflated and distorted claims of fabulous jobs, economic benefits and the foundry’s claims without any proof.
They disempower us when they give more weight to fancy lawyers and hired experts flown in from Washington then they do to citizens.
They disempower us by not listening to questions, sharing information or engaging in dialogue.
They disempower us when they lose files and drag their feet when we request recordings or copies of remarks and documents that are matters of public record.
They disempowered the entire county when they sat in silence as Ryan Brown gutted the conditions that might have given us a crumb of protection and re-wrote other conditions to benefit sand mine interests, including taking it upon himself to introduce the use of chemical flocculants.
Perhaps the county should rewrite their Mission Statement to read, “We exist to serve the interests of profits and big business. We are willing to sacrifice our residents and guests, our precious agricultural land, air and water quality to serve the interests of the moneyed few over the interests of the many.”