12/10/1979 Board of Public Works Minutes

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W REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 10, 1979 issues is not easy, and I can understand the deep emotions involved in this particular matter, but to question people's integrity just to have the matter decided in one side's favor is wrong. The soluble oil facility was established in 1974 by the City as a public service for local industry and later was leased to Prenco, Inc. mainly to allow for more efficient operation and lower the cost to City taxpayers of operating that facility. The type of waste burned and the operating standards are not under the jurisdiction of any City government agency. However, I and other City officials are concerned that the regulatory agencies at all levels perform their oversight duties. Let me emphasize that I have no knowledge that these regulatory bodies are not presently performing their responsibilities. The information I have communicated to the public as President of the Board of Public Works is information I have received from representatives of such regulatory bodies. For the benefit of the public, I have attached a letter and report from the St. Joseph County Health Department on the Prenco soluble oil facility. The primary issue raised by Mr. Sidney Wolf in his statement of December 7, 1979, revolves around his allegation that in my report to the Board of Public Works and City Council I stated that all three agencies (Local Health Department, State Health Department and Environmental Protection Agency) had continuously monitored the Prenco facility. I made no such claim, and I attach a copy of said report as evidence of this fact. To have made such a suggestion would have displayed a total and complete ignorance of the roles of each of these agencies in such matters. It is the local Health Agency which has sole responsibility for the licensing and monitoring of the Prenco unit. The State Board of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency have no legal responsibilities in these specific areas. The State's responsibilities in St. Joseph County relate solely to the monitoring of our local Health Agency. The EPA's primary responsibilities lie in the formulation of regulations and policy, and once adopted, said agency is responsible for overseeing that these regulations are adopted and enforced by each State Health agency. Mr. Wolf's allegations in this regard have apparently been issued in an attempt to discredit both myself and the Board of Public Works. Mr. Wolf is free to publicly challenge my recommendations and con - clusions at any time he so chooses. He does not, however, have the right to challenge my honesty, or accuse me of providing the Board or Council with misinformation. Such an action is certainly not of credit to Mr. Wolf. I have stated previously that the siting of plants such as the Prenco incinerator is a matter which the Board and the City elected officials should review. I even went further and received an agreement from Prenco to refrain from making any further improvement on their new facilities located at this site until the siting question has been reviewed and decided. My job as City Engineer and President of the Board of Public Works is not to react blindly to every pressure group which comes before me, but rather to react after full consideration of all the facts and after all the policy implications for the citizens of South Bend have been addressed. It is more than proper for the Council Oaks Addition Association to care for and fight for their neighborhood.