MACK for MAYOR

Source: The Herald Online Wednesday, June 29, 2011
From Herald Staff Reports
The three men seeking to become Jaspers next mayor are sharing their perspectives on Atlanta-based Twisted Oak Corp.’s proposal to lease the city’s idle power plant and convert it to burn miscanthus grass and natural gas. For a story about biomass discussion at Tuesday night's joint meeting of the Jasper Utility Service Board and Jasper Common Council, click here.

• Democrat John Burger said he believes the city should hold a “nonbinding referendum” on the issue to let Jasper residents decide whether the city should lease the power plant to Twisted Oak. He said such a question could not be put on the ballot for the general election in November, but that the city could hold the referendum on any other day and it would be “fairly easy and cost virtually nothing.” Burger said he is opposed to not all of residents’ questions having been addressed, but that it is only right that the city does its due diligence to determine if leasing the plant would be a good move financially for the city.
  
  
• Republican Terry Seitz is opposed to the Twisted Oak proposal based on three key factors: economic development, the business plan, and the marketplace and community well-being, he said in a statement posted on his website. He said he is “disturbed” that city officials have opposed an economic development incentive plan proposed by the Jasper Action Team that would support local business but appears willing to give tax abatements to Twisted Oak. He also expressed concern about the financial risks to farmers associated with growing miscanthus grass for fuel for the plant and about working with Twisted Oak, a one-man company, on such a large project. He said it would be “foolhardy” to ignore the concerns of the many members of the local medical community who oppose the proposal.
  
  
• Independent Jeffrey Mack “Mack” Steffen said in an email that he is “vehemently opposed” to the Twisted Oak proposal because “there are way too many unanswered questions for city officials and the people of Jasper and Dubois County to make an educated decision of worth versus risks.” He also said he does not believe the city should be trying to make a decision on the issue by the end of the year. He said he is in favor of an “air quality-acceptable biomass or other alternative-fuel power plant in Jasper’s future,” but that any proposal of this magnitude should be decided by the voters in a referendum.

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