Holden visits Herculaneum after reaching agreement with Doe Run

HERCULANEUM, Mo. -- Don Taylor has a message for Gov. Bob Holden: he's ready to leave Herculaneum after 55 years as a resident.

Holding up a black and orange "House For Sale" sign, Taylor greeted Holden as he toured the town on Saturday, two days after his staff and various state agencies reached an agreement with the Doe Run Co. to buy the properties of about 160 homeowners.

"I guess I'm going to have to give up my dream of owning a little place in the country," Taylor said.

Doe Run, which operates the nation's largest lead smelter in Herculaneum, agreed Thursday to offer buyouts to families with children under the age of 6 who live in a certain area near the smelter. Buyouts to other homeowners who live inside the area will come over the next 2 1/2 years.

The buyout agreement comes after the state released a study last week showing that more than half of children living near the smelter have elevated levels of lead in their blood, making them susceptible to reduced intelligence and health problems.

Following a meeting with Mayor John Chamis and other local officials, including representatives from Doe Run, Holden said the company plans to start meeting with residents on Monday. He said the properties bought would not be reused.

Not all of the residents plan to take the company's offer.

"I am not going anywhere," said Gerty O'Leary. "But I am prepared to fight to the end to make sure this is a safe town to live in. People deserve to live in a healthy place."

Those who are planning to take a buyout are already wondering how much Doe Run will offer for their homes. Ezra Bragg said he'll "probably move if the offer is good."

"I just had my home reassessed two years ago. Will I get the price it was assessed for?" Bragg said. "I don't know. I hope so."