GroshLink

When I posted August 20, 2007 Mt Joy Twp Supervisors Mtg, I had the impression the citizens were being heard and were influencing the negotiation process.  But I am sad to report that I was wrong as there will be even some scaling back of current services rendered by the landfill (e.g., debris clean-up along a shorter distance of Cloverleaf). 

Things could have gotten out of hand last night as one individual reacted strongly to a board member stating the landfill agreement for the next 12 years was a done deal during the public comment period, before the vote on the agreement.  In addition, the citizens were called to run for office by their voted representives if they'd like other arrangements AND told that in future years they'll thank the Board of Supervisors for their decision regarding the landfill:

Would I want to live out there? No. Do I like that landfill out there? No. ... We could vote no on this thing, and you people might walk out of here thinking you're happy. ... But I do not want to continue moving down the road without a host agreement in place. We went for the best deal. For more of the concerns raised by the public read the Intelligencer Journal's article Landfill pact blasted.

The police were called in just to have their presence felt and there was another executive/closed supervisor session after the public meeting.  Note:  Although, I did not have the opportunity to speak during the public comment times, as they were closed before I could contribute, I had an excellent conversation w/the police officer regarding traffic concerns on Cloverleaf Rd.  I believe my next recourse regarding truck speeding on the designated route will be a return to the police commission mtg where those attending were heard as a monitoring of Cloverleaf occurred after the mtg.

Onto the public meetings for the landfill expansion proposal.  Not sure when they'll occur.  Also interceding for those who have been left out of the conversation in Conoy with regard to the proposed ethanol plant to go right next to the incinerator and I'm sure for some also in view of the coal burning plant and Three Mile Island.  The picture below, from the Lancaster Intelligencer Jounal, is a strong visual statement of the public's perspective that they are not being heard [and I must say more provoking than the red Close the landfill t-shirt I wore to the Mt. Joy Township Mtg last night]. 

Such is our fallen world.  I press on with grace and gifts given to me as part of the People of God, eagerly awaiting Christ's ushering in of the new heaven and the new earth in which our love of God, love of neighbor, self-understanding, and stewardship of creation will be restored by the One True Light.  May we have the grace to glimpse more each day.