Fruitland residents organizing meeting concerning potential quarry

Fruitland residents will host a meeting to discuss what they say are the dangers proposed quarry developments pose in their community.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at Saxony Lutheran High School, near the proposed quarry site.

"We'll be focusing on safety, health and livelihood. Those are the areas that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources says we have to show these quarries will have a negative impact on," said meeting organizer J.D. Lochmann.

Speakers will give personal testimonies in each of those areas during the meeting, Lochmann said.

Saxony Lutheran's school board has formed a committee to look into how quarry developments would affect the school.

"I don't think quarries on either side are going to help us in completing the task of best serving our students and our families here," said school administrator Dr. Craig Ernst­meyer.

Those opposed to the quarries made a presentation to the Saxony Lutheran School Board on Tuesday.

"We will work with them to see what we can do to keep the quarries out," Ernstmeyer said.

Strack Excavating is planning a surface mining operation on 50 acres it recently purchased along County Road 601. A second company, Heartland Materials, has expressed an interest in mining in the area, too.

J.W. Strack, owner of Strack Excavating, said his plans are in the preliminary stages.

"Plans are up in the air right now," he said. "When we are ready and file the permits, there will be a public notice printed in the paper and everyone will know."

Struck said he did not know yet how many people would be employed at the proposed quarry.

"But it will be substantial," he said.

So far, neither company has filed for a mining permit from the Department of Natural Resources; however, Strack Excavating has filed for an air permit at the proposed quarry site.

"We want everyone to be educated and understand the process and what we need the public to do to help," said Abby Petzoldt, a member of the anti-quarry group.

Those opposed to the development have created a website, www.NoQuarriesInFruitland.com, with an online petition that 500 people have signed. They are circulating paper petitions also, but those signatures have not been counted yet, Petzoldt said.

The group plans to present the petitions and letters in opposition to the quarry projects to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in hopes of blocking it from issuing permits necessary for the operation.

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

County Road 601, Fruitland, MO