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April 27, 2004
By JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS
Staff writer
The way Wayne Kiel figures it, he's lost more than $1 million worth of blueberries in the last two growing seasons
because of salt used to melt ice and snow on the area's roadways.
Kiel, an Ottawa County farmer, spoke passionately Monday night about the devastating effects of road salt on crops
and the environment at a public forum at Ottawa County's Fillmore Street Complex.
Hosted by the county Planning Commission, the event brought out about 30 farmers and residents, with a comparable
number of officials gathered around a conference table.
Kiel, who said he was speaking for himself and 12 other growers, garnered the only applause from the audience when
he lambasted the road commission for excessive use of salt.
"There is no accountability," he said of the road commission. "They need a management plan."
And that's just what might occur.
Monday's 2 1/2 hour forum concluded with all sides agreeing to form a new committee to tackle the road salt issue
once and for all.
Road Commission Chairman Larry Bruursema vowed cooperation and said the committee idea was a good one.
"We will cooperate fully," he said.
"We want to keep these roads safe for our people, and it's difficult to do that without applying salt,"
Bruursema said, but added the commission is willing try alternatives.
Kiel suggested a commission or committee be formed to immediately deal with a problem that's gone on for years and
already severely damaged crops and vegetation.
He called it Plan A. Kiel said if Plan A wasn't employed, the farmers would seriously consider Plan B, which he characterized
as "judicial resolve."
Kiel said most of the growers don't want to go to court over the matter, agreeing it would be a waste of time and
money, but many farmers are at their patience's end.
Blueberry farmers in the area collectively lost about "$8 million bucks" last year due to road salt damage,
according to Kiel.
"They've lost that lovin' feeling. Either we get Plan A real fast, or we go to Plan B," he told the room.
Farmer John VanderKooi, representing the Ottawa County Farm Bureau, said the blueberry growers want to see "some
real action" to protect their farm operations, not just a simple fix Band-Aid applied to the problem.
"This is real serious business," he said.
At the end of the meeting, county administrator and moderator Alan Vanderberg said the special committee would be
created right away with representation from all stakeholders.
"Sounds good to me," Bruursema said.
Kiel responded with a smile, "You know what? Plan A may be viable after all."
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