Times Journal

Posted November 19, 2014 at 3:57 pm

Local resident David McGowan had a bone to pick with the Russell County Fiscal Court at the monthly meeting on Monday, November 10.

McGowan, owner of properties located around the area where A & S Protein, the animal rendering plant which was court ordered to permanently shut down from its operating location earlier in the year, approached the court and asked they consider a form of recompense for his financial loss, owing to what he said was the court’s involvement in the business.

“What I would like to discuss with you is the role that this court played in A & S Proteins on (Hwy.) 127,” said McGowan, owner of rental properties in the area which is also near Russell Springs Elementary School.

“What I am asking you to do is consider the opportunity, take this as an opportunity to make amends for the decisions or lack of decisions that was made up there to put the place there.”

McGowan said it has “broke his back” by allowing the company to locate there and that they would not have located there without the “aid and assistance of the county.”

“There was some discussion, but the court said the issue of the business never came before the court nor was there any vote on any aspect of the business locating where it did, nor were there any ordinances in place restricting the business from locating in the area at the time.

McGowan implied that Judge Robertson knew that the business was an animal rendering plant moving in there, and that the county was responsible for his loss of rental property income.

“Myself personally, and a lot of people in the county hold you all to a higher standard,” McGowan said. “It doesn’t matter what district you’re in or what; you are county business. You’re the upper management of county business. You handle county money. It’s your obligation to know what’s going on in this county.”

Judge Gary Robertson said the county did not hold responsibility in the matter.

“You’re looking at the wrong group right here to replace it (lost revenue) as far as I’m concerned, said Robertson.

“We’ve told you before we never did vote on anything. I went to a meeting because I was the County Judge/Executive and they asked me to attend that meeting,” Robertson said. “If you want to put a business in and you ask me, it’s my job to show up if you’ve got something you want to try and present, and that’s what I did.”

“But this court never voted on anything with that business, and that’s the end as far as I’m concerned,” Robertson said.