By Michelle Key
Publisher

Monday night’s Lee County Commission meeting was held in front of a standing- room only crowd of concerned citizens.
More than 100 people turned out to show their opposition of the proposed quarry that has applied for permits from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM.)
Concerned citizen Banks Herndon spoke first on why he is against the proposed quarry citing both environmental concerns and decreased property values as being two of the major reasons.
“The research (from a professor at Auburn University) shows that properties within a half mile of the quarry will be devalued by approximately 20%, down to 8% for properties within three miles of the site. County tax revenue will be negatively impacted.
Health concerns are also a major concern according to Herndon. Paperwork from Creekwood Resources, LLC states that certain conditions are paramount and non-negotiable, one of which is that the quarry must be located downwind, not upwind, of the nearest metro area.
Herndon said that according to research he conducted shows that during the 84% of the windy season, the wind will be blowing toward downtown Opelika or Grand National, not away from them. And Herndon proposed the question was to why is it so important which direction the winds blow – and what will the winds carry from the quarry that would harm the citizens of this town?
Opelika City Attorney Guy Gunter addressed the commission and gave them details regarding the the proposed quarry. One of the main concerns