Letter: Oneida County Board needs to drop the mining issue by Karen Isebrands-Brown
Editor:
HELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOO… How can there possibly be any confusion on the part of any Oneida County Board of Supervisors regarding the meaning of the mining resolution they voted on at the 8/21/12 meeting? I was present at that meeting. Jerry Shidell’s resolution was repeated at least three times to clarify that, in fact, the resolution included, not only Lynne township…but, also the entirety of Oneida county. Everyone in the room knew exactly what the resolution was.
Certainly, the 8/21/12 meeting was tape-recorded. If not, it should have been. Meetings of this nature should not be left to the possibility of unintentional human errors of omission or misinterpretation. Let’s listen to the 8/21/12 recordings.
The 8/23/12 issue of the Northwoods River News quoted Corporate Counsel Brian Desmond as saying, after the vote defeating the mining resolution, “Mining will no longer proceed as a policy goal for Oneida County.” That same issue quoted three committee members as saying the following regarding the vote that defeated the mining issue in Oneida County: Jerry Shidell said he “had no complaint with the outcome.” Jack Sorenson said he “was ready to move on.” Gary Baier said, “It’s over with and we need to move on.” With all due respect, I’d like to ask, “What is it about ‘moving on’ that this committee does not understand?” Just give it up.
Regarding preserving the Mining Oversight/Local Impact Committee (MOLIC) as if it were sacred ground…Give us a break! The committee was created in the 1980s. I can’t believe the whining about “handicapping” the board by having to create a new committee, if needed. Come on. It happens every day. Three different committee members were quoted in the 12/8/12 Northwoods River News as saying that to create a new committee would mean to have to “start from scratch,”, “start all over again”, and “having to start from ground zero.” Creating a new committee is not difficult. I have all the faith in the world that the board can do that with the greatest of ease. A committee created in this century is bound to better serve Oneida County’s values, priorities and needs than a committee created in the 1980s. Be not afraid.
People are beginning to wonder. “What is this really about?” “Where is this committee really coming from?” It’s starting to look like “Thou protest too much.” Drop it, please. Get on with other important issues that face Oneida County.
Karen Isebrands-Brown, Rhinelander
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