LTE: Chase On Roberts Chemical

March 1st, 2010 · No Comments

To the Editor:

I believe that it is irrational to think that if Roberts Chemical occupied the old Teknor Apex Hebronville plant, it would eventually have a neighborhood-damaging explosion . . . just because one happened there “many moons ago” when actual chemical processes were taking place, not simple warehousing storage.

I also believe that there are local people exploiting these irrational fears, trumping good sense that should welcome business tenants in the now-empty facility. A few jobs, a few tax revenues: all being threatened by poor thinking. What will happen to the place if Roberts gets turned down? How long will it remain empty, ever more becoming a greater problem. Consider how few firms or organizations are even interested now!

I can’t help but note the phenomenon that I recently described in my previous letter to the editor. A couple of city councilors were “baited” to speak out on this reasonable proposal. Their comments recall a saying from one of my former bosses, ” . . have the heart of an outhouse rat.”

Politics may be, as Tip O’Neil said, “local”. And there’s none so irrational as local ones, it seems. Maybe even Einstein couldn’t explain it.

Gerald F. Chase

Former City Councilor Attleboro

Tags: Uncategorized