Stan Maddux, For The News-Dispatch
UNION MILLS - It seemed as if every one of the 500 residents who turned out for a meeting Tuesday night in Union Mills were against a rail yard that's proposed basically right in their backyard.
But most of the elected officials in attendance are keeping an open mind until they balance the increase in traffic and other impacts with the thousands of new jobs and millions in additional property taxes projected.
"The challenge in this thing is how do you maximize the job growth but minimize the noise; the pollution; the traffic; the infrastructure problems," La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman said.
Already committed to opposing the intermodal facility, though, is La Porte County Councilman Terry Garner of Hanna.
"I will never sell my soul to the devil," said Garner, whose comments drew wild applause from the overflow crowd at the Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department on County Road 800 South.
Often grumbling, many citizens demanded to know who the main financial players are behind a proposal that could bring significant change to their quiet, agricultural community.
They also accused officials of knowing more than they're willing to share despite repeated assurances from leaders such as county councilman Jerry Cooley, who said "basically, we don't know any more than you do."
One thing is for certain.
It appears a final decision on where to locate one of the intermodal facilities that have been speculated about the past few years appears near, with Union Mills at the top of the list.
Officials revealed a 15 to 21 member task force consisting of elected officials, railroad representatives, citizens and others will be formed to evaluate all sites proposed for an intermodal facility.
Final approval will rest with the La Porte County Board of Zoning Appeals to decide changes in zoning that would be required.
Friedman did reveal he's been privy to some talks involving an intermodal facility and, in a bid to calm the restless crowd, said no site has been chosen.
He failed to sway many residents of Union Mills strongly convinced that one of the intermodal facilities is targeted for their area on existing farmland.
They insist a better location would be six miles to the east in the Kingsbury Industrial Park, which is more secluded with plenty of old industrial sites that could be reused.
Friedman said the committee will aggressively seek more than one proposal for an intermodal facility, including any sites that involve Kingsbury Industrial Park.
"We're saying all sites are on the table. This is not a done deal," Friedman said.
The meeting was called by a local citizens group opposed to an intermodal facility in hopes of influencing decision makers.
Involved in the opposition movement is 87-year-old Ruth Minich, a longtime farmer in the Kingsbury-Union Mills area.
"You're really blessed. You're the stewards of your land. Don't turn it over to anyone else," she told the crowd.
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