Village Board Meeting--Tuesday July 7, 2015

So the board meeting tonight went as expected.  Two people spoke about Meyer, including myself. Meyer presented their annual report, which emphasized all of their "obligations" and their corporate citizenship, such as Cub Scout trips where, it was said, the kids could visit "nature in your backyard." I wouldn't classify a gravel pit as nature, but okay.  They talked about the impact fees that they pay to the Village and how the economic downturn really took a toll on the business.  Same things we heard back in 2011-12.

The two Meyer representatives, Randi Wille and Ron Raupp, spent a great deal of time talking about the challenges of mining in the parcels. The overburden, they claim, has been a problem, causing them to actually pile the extra overburden on the north side of the property, bordering Hoffman Park, as seen below.

The pile of overburden in the Meyer gravel pit.

And, due to the overburden and the inconsistency of the gravel deposits, the lake will actually be smaller than expected. Originally, they estimated the lake being about 94 acres. Now, they expect it to be 89-90 acres......if they get the extension.  If not, the lake will be about 77 acres or so but with more land surrounding it.

As for the financial committment, Meyer said they were willing to continue paying the current fees. Surprisingly, Dudek said that they should "sharpen their pencils" and come with a better offer.

Covelli then asked, for the sake of the Fox Trails residents, if there was "nothing above and beyond" the current fees---after all, they could be subjected to penalties.  And Mr.Wille replied "No" and clarified that with the impact fees they are already paying enough.  He and Covelli went back and forth a little and said he'd take it back to the management team.

Chapman and McAlpine both commented on how they loved the tour and that Meyer did a really great job of explaining everything to them.

Kraus made the suggestion that if they stop mining in 2016, then perhaps Cary could build a hotel or something on that extra land.

Dudek then stated that there have been no complaints from residents at all, therefore there shouldn't be a problem with the extension.  However, what complaints was he hoping to get? Fox Trails residents are not complaining about the noise or the dust because there is nothing that can be done: we live next to a gravel pit.  We know that there is going to be dust and noise---but we expect that to be done by June 1, 2016.  More on this ridiculous point in a later post.

In the end, it was only Covelli and Cosler who voted "no" on reducing the letters of credit for Meyer and that passed without a problem.  I even was lectured on what a "letter of credit" is by Dudek.  For some reason he thought I believed that the letters of credit were penalties. They're not, but they do serve as collateral.  And they are part of the deal that was struck in 2008.

The most telling moment came during the discussion when Chapman announced that the pit is a "significant part of the Village budget."  There it is.  The bottom line.

One thing that did happen was Jim Cossler (via a speaker- phone as he was out of town on business) speciffically asked me if I had any comments after the presentation and I was allowed to speak.  I reiterated that a deal is a deal. But I also mentioned the fact that everybody has gotten a tour and a detailed explaination of the pit operations, except Fox Trails residents.

Meyer was open to providing some tours for Fox Trails residents.  So that may be in our future.