DEL.ICIO.USNORCROSS
Catholics fighting waste plant: Commissioner insulted us
City to vote next month on transfer station proposed next to church
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
The members of Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Mission in Norcross didn’t need much more ammunition in their fight against a proposed waste transfer station next to their church, the site of a defunct Chevrolet dealership.
But, they say, Commissioner Kevin Kenerly gave them just that at a Dec. 16 public hearing.
In moving to approve the waste transfer station, Kenerly told the overflow audience — almost all church members — that while churches are important, he was reluctant to deny the developer’s request because “you might outgrow that piece” of land.
“If you do outgrow that piece, it’s still Timmer’s Chevrolet to me,” he said.
C.C. Nguyen, spokesman for the church community, said the comment came across to his fellow parishioners as an insult.
“It took us 12 years to get to this point,” he said. “We have worked our tails off to build what we have today.”
The sentiment is shared by officials with the Archdiocese of Atlanta, which oversees Catholic parishes in the metro area.
“I personally found it equally as offensive,” said Dennis Kelly, project manager with Catholic Church Services Inc., the church’s real estate wing. “We don’t go out and buy property on a temporary basis. Our parishes are there forever.”
Kenerly didn’t return a telephone message left on his cellphone and left Tuesday’s County Commission meeting before a reporter could ask him about the church’s concerns.
The church has already twice packed to overflowing the auditorium of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center for public hearings on the project, and has launched an online petition drive to further demonstrate opposition to the project.
Now, the church is trying to recruit Catholics from other Gwinnett parishes to flood the county with messages before the scheduled Feb. 3 decision on the project.
There’s some 23,350 families registered to Catholic parishes in the county, Kelly said.
“That’s a sizable number of voters,” he said. The developer’s attorney, Lee Tucker, argues that all of the waste dumping and transferring would occur inside the building, which would be made to blend in with the surrounding offices and warehouses. Its location near I-85 means landfill-bound trucks loaded with garbage will be off surface streets onto the highway quickly, he has said.
But church members say the waste transfer station would endanger the health and safety, as well as the sense of community, of its 4,000 member families and some 800 children who attend Sunday school classes and other events at the church. Nearby business and building owners also oppose the proposal.
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Comments
By Sore Loser
Feb 5, 2009 7:45 PM | Link to this
How much money did Mr.Kernly bribe you with 10000? 1000000? This sucks why dont you try living here you really sucky commisioner.
By Anthony Vu
Feb 4, 2009 11:40 AM | Link to this
I attend this church, and this stinks. There are stipulations for the waste station, however, those conditions are ridiculous. Some of these conditions wonıt work. What is the use of having those deodorizers or whatever itıs called, itıs still going to stink, especially in the hotlanta, humid days. Itıs going to smell like millions of dead bodies. And the waste station closes Sunday? Hello, people! Weıre not Protestant, we have Mass EVERY DAY. Itıs going to be detrimental for the children who attends not only Sunday school, but also Saturday school, including the parishioners who attend Mass every day , especially the elderly. My grandfather attends Mass every day. This is totally outrageous! We have put our blood, sweat, and tears into this church,I volunteered my hours in cleaning up this church in the beginning, from scratch!
Last time in December, Kevin Kenerly, said that this church that we built, was built in a business district, therefore, it isnıt a church, but still a car dealership. What the heck? Then his brotherıs church (who is a pastor by the way), must be just a building. A Church is the House of God, no matter whether it was previouly a liquor store, or even Wal-Mart. Unless, heıs saying this because heıs an anti-Catholic, Baptist. Additionally, Kenerly said in December, that a waste station needs to be somewhereıOkıI have proposal, how about next to your church??? If this waste station was to be proposed behind Bannisterıs, Lasseterıs, or Kenerlyıs church, they would undoubtedly deny it.
As a matter of fact, I believe that the first Board of Commissioners meeting DENIED the Waste transfer station. Why is that the 2nd time was a TIE, and a 3rd time, APPROVE? I see something suspicious going on here, and you guys know what I mean. Gwinnett County might to do a thorough investigation with these dudes.
By JohnOfGwinnett
Jan 21, 2009 1:33 PM | Link to this
can we build a Waste Station at 75 Langley Dr, Lawrenceville, GA 30045?
By Kid that does not like trash
Jan 19, 2009 7:23 PM | Link to this
ITS OUR CHUCH AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY NO TO AN OVERSIZED PIECE OF JUNK TO BE BUILT THERE!
By Trash Hater
Jan 19, 2009 7:12 PM | Link to this
Who would want a trash station built next to them well I dont. I know we all hate trash trucks, there will just be more now that you do have to tell the truth about Mr.Kennerly. CANT LIE YOURSELF OUT OF THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By gwinnett citizen
Jan 16, 2009 9:42 AM | Link to this
I just watched the public hearing video last night on line and confirmed that Banister did say "Beaudreau, you surprised me again. How you told that you'd be straight up on this".
Please concern people go to gwinnettcounty.com-----type in "video" for search---video on demand-----public hearing 12/16/08----Banister said that when the public hearing was ended and waited for the next one to start. I think he did not realize that he was still in front of the microphone.
By Tina
Jan 15, 2009 12:37 PM | Link to this
I do not recall EVER seeing a waste plant next to any church. It is a sign of disrespect and a sign that the commisssioner does not care or have the time to dedicate to issues that concern the people. The residents of Norcross need to think about that and perhaps act on it.
By Vivian
Jan 14, 2009 7:29 PM | Link to this
Its just plain not right to build a waste transfer station near a chruch. Yall talking bout how property values are going down and all that good stuff but really its your own fault for doing messed up stuff like this. I bet ther'll be a lot more bad than good coming out of this if you do build the dump. No one wants a gov that doesn't care about the people.
By MiMi-of-Norcross
Jan 14, 2009 12:13 PM | Link to this
The people at the church buy that church to worship.
What ever was there before look bad for our community
It look good now after they fix it up.
Waste station next to that church is just a bad idea
By Christian G. Brown
Jan 13, 2009 7:19 PM | Link to this
The waste transfer station should not be located near any Church or school regardless of religious affiliation.
Hopefully Kevin Kenerly needs to learn social diplomacy.
Maybe Mr. Kenerly has been in office to long?
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