Savvy old time farmers in Montgomery County have a saying, “Like follows like.” It is worth remembering when considering the proposal of Lystek International for Montgomery County to give them corporate welfare and change the governing rules to allow their “bio-solid” company to locate in the Glen Canal View Business Park. These same locals are of the opinion that this “bio-solids importation is a modern day Trojan horse.
Lystek International is a small part of the mega giant Canadian company, R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. According to Bloomberg’s overview of Tomlinson Limited, it is a company that engages in quarrying, construction, trucking, ready mix, land development, and environmental industries in Canada. The company offers datashred security services, including mobile document destruction and records management and storage, sewer and watermain services; quality control services for aggregates, asphalt, concrete and construction projects; environmental services; and waste recovery services for builders, businesses, and homeowners.”
In 2011, Tomlinson acquired Lystek International Inc. It also acquired Ottawa Greenbelt Construction (sewer and watermain specialization), Graydex Ottawa (sewer and watermain specialization), Goulbourn-Stittsville Sanitation, (environmental services), Upper Canada Gold (minority stake in gold exploration company.)
When we consider that the parent company of Lystek International is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, is not American, and in fact, is a private company, referred to by an admirer as “The Empire;” we wonder why they want Montgomery County’s corporate welfare? Why do they need tax abatements and pilot projects? Why is their importing radius for bi-solids 150 miles? Their application (for now) asks for approximately 15 acres. What do you think will happen to the rest of our business park if we change zoning restrictions for them? Remember, “Like follows like.”
In New York City this month, George Bevington representing Lystek and Gerhardt indicated that the county invited them into Glen. He reported, “Montgomery County would welcome a landfill and that is why Lystek chose Montgomery County.” Why would our county invite them? Can they conceive of nothing else but importing waste into our park?
So is Lystek International a Trojan horse? Is that the reason they want Montgomery County because our Economic Development Department and the County will take the risks for them if anything goes wrong? Remember the website for their California plants says they have an “unproven technology.”
We know they are taking all the potential profits! They have not offered to bond Montgomery County. They have not offered to mitigate any damages they cause to our infrastructures and environment. They have not offered any percentage of their profits. They have only offering a puny amount of low paying and possibly hazardous jobs. Let’s say no. Remember offers that seem too good to be true usually are. Let’s listen to the wisdom of farmers.
KAREN CHAPLIN
Fultonville
