Economic Development vs. Greed

Economic Development as Wikipedia defines it is:

The sustained, concerted actions of policy makers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area.

This term was thrown around by the Board of Supervisors at the "Soil Mining" meeting.  I am not sure they know what that term means.  I find it hard to believe, especially from the one man on the board I always thought was a good person, that there is not some, shall we say, outside influence.  Why do I say this?  It has to do with the definition.

SUSTAINED: What is sustained about 'soil mining'.  You rape the land and move on.  Farming is sustained.  Building houses and improving the tax base is sustained.

STANDARD OF LIVING:  The product is going out of county, who's standard of living is being improved?  The only standard that is being improved is of, yet again, the entity/family I have harped on so many times.

ECONOMIC HEALTH:  The only economy being made healthier is that entity/family yet again.  At the cost of this county.  This is one time monetary gain, don't let anyone tell you differently.

Let me also say that I heard a defense of the project by referring to other mining/quarry projects.  As anyone in Malvern is sure to realize by the blasting... there is a limestone quarry just on the opposite side of town.  Here is the difference.  Limestone quarries are largely for roads.  We kinda need those.  Having one in county is a big cost saving for Mills County.  Just ask the surrounding counties what they spend in diesel costs just to get the gravel.  These are not truly sustainable, but to compare one time money gain with a decades long project that has actually benefited the county.. pretty weak defense.

I heard some comment about 30 acres saving many more...  BS!  You know where most of the dirt from the Gaston Ave project went?  To replace the lead contaminated soil that was torn out of Omaha yards.  (which was dumped in our landfill... a whole other post)  This is not some crusade to save our levies.  This is going to railroad money and Omaha money.  The highest bidder.

Now don't get me wrong.  I believe in capitalism and making money.  But don't cower behind a natural disaster because it is convenient.  Haven't "you" made enough off of price gouging during the flood, to the same people that bought your houses in flood zones already?  Don't use that tired excuse.  That's low even for that entity.

This is not a slippery slope.  This is open season on one of the only natural resources Mills County has.  This is the powerful selling off our county's potential.  This isn't going to stop.

Farmers, think your land prices are high now?  Can you outbid a Hughes?  I'm betting even the two or three that are buying most of the farmland now might even worry a bit about that new player.  Before you had to worry about development ground... now ALL THE COUNTY IS FOR SALE!

I started this with the supervisors because they represent us.  They are supposed to be looking out for the county.  I do not see this as being a benefit to our county.  I see it as a benefit to one entity.  I see mounting infrastructure costs, something the county should be wary of.  I see the possibility of water tables changing, they have mined right by Keg and Silver Creek.

I don't see how this is in the county's best interest.  And the only thing I have heard in response is economic development.  I see one entity getting away with whatever they want, because they have the supervisors in their back pocket.  That's what I see.

I am really tired of our supervisors not representing us.  They represent the Hughes Entity.