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Hooray for Mayor Hodgin!! Hooray for City Council Members!
In a packed City Hall on Saturday morning, students from Dr. Sherrie Steiner's class at IPFW and BCCC board members presented information and evidence from their nearly 3 year-long search and investigation about the high incidence of cancer and neurological disease in Blackford County.
The presentation focused on the air surrounding and the groundwater underneath Hartford Iron & Metal. The presentation urged the government to support relocating HI&M to another location such as the Industrial Park. IPFW students presented drawings showing the possible business benefits to HI&M associated with relocation.
Evidence presented showed contamination of the groundwater with heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, nickel, lead, and arsenic, and that the flow of the groundwater was in the direction of city wells. Evidence from recent testing also showed air around the site was contaminated with similar heavy metals, suggesting that the only solution to protect the health of citizens is relocation.
Comments from citizens expressing their concerns about the situation were read to the Mayor and City Council Members.
Upon hearing the presentation and asking several good questions, the Mayor and Council suggested the Mayor appoint a group to further study relocation of the local business. Mayor Hodgin boldly suggested that he would personally ask a representative from Hartford Iron and Metal to participate in the group. "That's my job," Hodgin said to the audience!!
In closing, BCCC President, Eric Evans, encouraged all to focus on the solution to this community issue with cooperation as their guiding thought.
Please continue paying attention to this important issue.
Thank you for your involvement!
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You can still:
1. Sign the Comment Card: https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ereKg97gVtiDz25
2. Forward the Comment Card to friends and family
3. Phone or email officials on the list below to come tomorrow Nov. 18th
SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION
Since 2006, Hartford Iron and Metal in Hartford City, Indiana, has been in violation for improper methods for containing harmful chemicals, including PCBs, from their industrial work. In 2009 IDEM and Hartford Iron and Metal agreed, in a Court Approved Consent Decree, to clean their site. In 2011, and again in 2015, IDEM completed another inspection and found Hartford Iron and Metal was still in violation. Some methods of cleanup did occur, but none of them were substantial enough to actually make a difference. IDEM has allowed Hartford Iron and Metal to continue business and to expand operations for eleven years after being originally cited for violations even though they are still not in compliance with the Court Order Decree of 2009.
It is time for real change for the citizens of Hartford City. Come join that change on November 18th at 10 a.m. The meetings are located at City Hall, 700 N. Walnut St., Hartford City, IN. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 765-730-4168.
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