To the editor:
On Oct. 28, 2020, the “good ole boy” system in Brown County was alive and well. Nearly every logger in the county came out for this one — along with councilman, David Critser and environmental specialist, John Kennard, personal fans of mine, LOL. Sandra Pool, trustee board member, school bus driver and sawmill owner, and her son, police officer, William Pool, even found their way into this situation.
It was a night to remember. I was defamed, attacked and accused by several people supporting an industrial park in a residential neighborhood. An industrial park that drives their industry and puts citizens’ lives at risk.
You see, I live in a residential neighborhood off 135, on a dead-end street. On Sept. 30, 2019, I met a fully loaded 80,000-pound log truck driving in the middle of the road on West Robertson Road. It was horrifying. I instantly knew who was going to win this game of chicken, and it wasn’t me. I filed a complaint with the planning office about a logging company illegally operating inside of a residential neighborhood the next day. Nearly everything that happened after this was a disaster.
Christine Ritzmann, planning director, sent a letter to the logging operator telling them that they were violating the Brown County zoning ordinance on Oct. 22, 2019. Yet, on Jan. 29, 2020, Ms. Ritzmann testified to the Brown County Board of Zoning Appeals that the logging operation was legal, it just needed approval from the board. This all came about with the help of Michael Magner, highway superintendent, Tom Reoch, GIS coordinator, and commissioner Biddle has a mention in this mess too. The board approved an industrial park inside of a residential neighborhood. Absurd.
Michael Magner and Ms. Ritzmann made a private citizen believe that they owned a public road. A no-trespassing sign has since been placed on this public road and was resurfaced with ground up asphalt. Yikes. How in the world does the planning commission fix this?
Next, we went to court, and $2900 in legal fees and one year later, we are set to present our case to the judge. Except we didn’t. The BZA wanted a continuance. Then, the magic happened. The attorney for the BZA discovered that the information presented to the board by Ms. Ritzmann was false and an illegal decision had occurred. This quasi-judicial board had no choice but to make things right. The BZA rescinded their decision.
Here’s where the “good ole boy” system fails the community. These folks look at change as a problem, not a problem solver. They believe the way they have “always done it” as the best and only way. It is not.
When the family business outgrows the neighborhood, it’s time to move to a new location. How many loaded log trucks driving in a residential neighborhood become too much? When there are 20 trucks a day? 25? 30? This is kinda like having 12 kids living inside of a three-bedroom house. It’s just time to move on.
Sherrie Mitchell, Brown County
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