Citizens who want their water and air protected are not “extreme” or a “special interest.” Shame on our city administration, Bob McOmber and others trying to paint the Charter Amendment supporters as a fringe group trying to codify anarchy in the Charter. They have the extreme points of view.
We’ve seen a lot of hand-wringing by the Mayor and City Council this past year in regards to protecting the health and assets of BG residents. Several council members have said they want to work on legislation protecting the city from the dangers of the fossil fuel industry. If this issue is so important to them, what are they waiting for? The city had the opportunity to gain standing against Nexus/Enbridge early this year, but Mr. Marsh refused, saying it would be an astronomical cost as the city would be compelled to participate in a lawsuit. My wife and I are named in the motion to intervene filed in February. A BGSU student is named in the motion to intervene. There is NO reason why the city could not have filed as well. Involvement in lawsuits is optional. Mr. Marsh just could not concede this point and act to preserve our rights. It seems the city just does not want to be bothered to take meaningful action. All the talk from the city thus far has not produced a single beneficial result for BG citizens or protection from the inevitable environmental disasters common with fossil fuel industry operations.
Other, much smaller Ohio communities have stronger leadership defending the health and welfare of its citizens. Waterville, a tiny village of 6000 residents, has rebuffed Nexus/Enbridge and is not backing down. Oberlin, a tiny town of 8000 residents, has been allocating funds and fighting Nexus/Enbridge on the basis that a private corporation cannot exercise eminent domain on a public entity…especially a foreign, private corporation that provides zero benefit to their community. On the contrary, Nexus/Enbridge is solely private gain at public expense, OUR expense. Somehow Bowling Green just does not have the resources despite the $250k per year that funds our city attorney. Residents of BG are left with no other option but to protect themselves by passing the Charter Amendment. Vote for power to the people and vote YES for the BG Charter Amendment.
Todd Childers
Bowling Green
