After resident questions, Park Hills and recycling facility meet locals at town hall
Citizens are worried about their infrastructure, city and partners open floor to questions at 6
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Tonight, citizens of Park Hills will be able to ask questions directly with a recycling company set to take over a former glass plant in the area.
“This meeting will offer a unique opportunity for residents to engage directly with key stakeholders and voice their thoughts on this significant development,” a document from the City of Park Hills states.
PUBLIC MEETING ON MARCH 11:
Residents were able to meet and speak with the company invovled and the City of Park Hills officials at a public meeting which was livestreamed to the City’s Facebook page. You can watch the entire meeting below.
The meeting was set up by the city and is open to the public. The city describes it as a town hall, titled “Reworld - Your Questions Answered.” The event will take place at Mineral Area College Tech Center at 5270 Flat River Road in Park Hills.
City information says the company will provide a presentation detailing the “proposed Park Hills operations.” The city also says that environmental expertise will be offered from KimHEC, a St. Louis-based environmental consulting firm, working on city regulations, something Kim Cole told First Alert 4 she feels is very proactive of the city.
The meeting comes less than a month after multiple local citizens ed First Alert 4 about how the potential operation could affect their community, their environment and infrastructure.
You can see the original video here.
BACKGROUND
NEIGHBOR CONCERNS
First Alert 4 has spoken with and been ed by a number of locals who say they would like to see more transparency and have serious concerns about the safety of the environment around them, their water, and their backyards.
Locals say they were never ed with information about a possible new location for the waste services company Reworld Waste. The city says the potential new location could offer jobs and is part of a private transaction between the landholder and the company.
Loretta Boesing, a local resident and activist known for Unite for Safe Medications, told First Alert 4 that she was unaware of the potential plans until a Facebook post gained traction and many locals started talking to each other and asking questions.
Locals tell First Alert 4 they couldn’t get any answers about anything with the facility until reporters started asking questions.
Citizens say their research about Reworld’s history has raised concerns as well, under the former name of Covanta.
The City has responded to the concerns of citizens in a press release, with details about operations.
FEB. 11 CITY COUNCIL
City Zach Franklin provided an update and some clarity about the facility, its operations and addressed some community concerns.
Some highlights -- Franklin stated that Reworld and the City Council plan to have an open discussion with the town sometime next month. This direct could happen at a future city council meeting, with representatives of Reworld present. He says the city and Reworld want to have communication with residents.
They’ve partnered with St. Louis-based environmental consulting firm KimHEC to work on local regulations, something Kim Cole told First Alert 4 she feels is very proactive of the city. Franklin says this will help provide more local legal authority on the facility.
The city says only a portion of the large factory facility will be operated by Reworld, and there’s possibilities other portions of the facility could be used for other uses -- operating as a mixed use facility.
REWORLD’S INFORMATION
Reworld offered some new details Tuesday, included as part of a Facebook post from the City:
“The complete FAQ document is available for viewing or ing by CLICKING HERE: https://docs.google.com/viewer...," the city posted today. “For questions or concerns, please City Hall during regular business hours at 573-431-3577.”
More information on meetings can be found on the Park Hills website.
Avery Martinez covers water, ag & the environment for First Alert 4. He is also a Report for America Corps member, as well as a member of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. His coverage ranges from corn farms to hunting concerns, and local water rates to rancher mental health.
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