Small Town News

Residents, homeowners bring biomass concerns to elected officials

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Residents of a community located near the proposed Adage biomass electric generating plant voiced their concerns about the project and presented a petition containing 3,000 signatures requesting an advisory vote at the Aug. 3 Port of Shelton meeting.

Beth McBain, who said she was representing the Hiawatha Park Homeowners Association, read from a prepared statement.

She said Hiawatha Park is a private community of just under 100 homes situated on over 100 acres off Johns Prairie Road.

"Our neighborhood is also home to the Mason County Christian School ... with over 150 students who learn inside and play outside every day of the school year right in the heart of our community," she said.

"We are not a neighborhood filled with 'kooks' but instead we are home to a number of our community's first-responders," McBain said. "We are home to members of the medical community ... We are home to the families of business owners, prison guards, artists, economists, musicians and families of dedicated members of the legal community, educators and coaches of the Shelton School District."

McBain said the oldest resident is a woman who is more than 90 years old, and the youngest is a baby girl who is not yet 9 days old.

"We are honest, hardworking people who have always believed that the democratic process works for us in this county, this state and this country," she said.

McBain also presented the commission with a petition containing 3,000 signatures requesting an advisory vote of people on the plant. She said the 3,000 signees represent roughly 10 percent of the electorate of the county.

Commissioner Jay Hupp told her the commission had responded to an advisory ballot on two occasions.

"This commission is not in favoT of a public vote on this measure," Hupp said. "It has been a majority vote twice."



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© 2010 Shelton-Mason County Journal Shelton, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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