PSL COUNCIL UPDATE

from Richard Silvestri

The PSL Council delayed vote on the feritlizer ord in order to get clarification on penalties for non-compliance and enforcement.  Not certain when it will be on the agenda again; stay tuned or let me know if you find out beforehand.

None of the 10 or so that I notified who came to speak in favor of the fertilizer ord. knew discussion on the Seven50 Plan would be on the agenda.  AC4PR was there in greater numbers than we, but not a huge number of them.  Comm. Martin fostered the agenda item and spoke against the plan first, saying it was against home rule.  At that point only three commissioners were in attendance, Faiella and Berger being the remainder.  With only three minutes to speak unprepared, it is hard to lodge good arguments.  The big reason all three gave for being against was that the big boys down south would overrule us and also that other counties and cities had turned it down with special weight given to the SLC decision.  So now the Seven50 plan appears to become extinct on "Me, too" reasoning.  Although the discussion started out with it appearing the plan was dead in PSL, after several of us spoke the commission delayed further action.  Once again, it is uncertain when it reappears and when for vote.   One thing is certain, with those of us speaking up, the AC4PR knows they again have opposition and is going to be stacking the meetings until the vote is done.  I say "again" because we knew we stood no chance in Republican Martin County and they had no opposition at all there. 

Are we going to just sit here and not put up a fight?  If we are, let me know and I will stop wasting my efforts with this issue.  If we fight, then we need people there, with facts, willing to speak and even those not willing to speak just to be there.  For instance, one of the opponents at the podium asked all against the plan to stand.  It was the entire audience except a half dozen of us.  Pitiful.  I don't know about the rest, but the last time I was that embarrassed was in a dream I had wherein I was walking naked on Times Square.

Richard C. Silvestri