05.11
Channel 3 mentioned this site on air Friday, regarding comments made about SunRae Water announcing plans to move into Walker County.
Channel 3 did contact us asking for a statement, but we didn’t get the e-mail in time for them to use the response. Here’s what we told them Friday evening:
- “We were initially excited to hear the news about SunRae Water on Channel 3, but immediately some concerns came to mind. The company was incorporated only a few weeks ago, Mr. Schieck’s other businesses are all garbage processors, none of his other companies seem to have any real facilities, the building in Walker County he plans on using is considered polluted by the EPA, and last year he told media there were plans to build a $31 million garbage processor here. In light of Commissioner Heiskell’s past business deals that didn’t pan out (like the hotel on Lookout Mountain she announced in 2010), it’s not unreasonable to think this might be more about the upcoming election than about a new legitimate business coming to town. We’ve asked Mr. Schieck to answer some questions, but so far he has refused to comment other than saying ‘wait and see.’ The last thing this community needs is to ‘wait and see’ more county money wasted on a business that hasn’t proven itself to be legitimate. If it’s legitimate we welcome the jobs and economic activity, but he’s done nothing so far to show legitimacy.”
The Underground isn’t anti-jobs. We welcome jobs, if they actually come. But we have concerns about the legitimacy of “SunRae Water” and some questions about the company, but so far those questions and concerns have been met with attacks and derision. If they cannot, or will not, answer legitimate questions, the people of Walker County need to be very careful about lending support to the business or the persons responsible for bringing it in.
It isn’t wrong to question government or business leaders, especially when they present things that are hard to believe. Asking those kinds of questions is a foundation of this country. And considering Commissioner Heiskell’s history of questionable judgment and false promises, it’s not wrong at all to ask if this deal is all they make it out to be – especially in an election year. Her attacks against us reveal much about her own character.
Heiskell says the Underground made this political.. She made it political when she announced the deal. If she’s going to use this deal as a vehicle for reelection, then she needs to be prepared to have some questions asked. And with a legitimate deal, both the business involved and the politician taking credit for making the deal happen would be glad to answer those questions.
We have not had time to write a decent blog addressing all the concerns we have about SunRae Water / SunRae Environmental, but one will be coming soon. In the meanwhile read a few of these links concerning the business and the site being used.
- 2006 – Bebe Heiskell says site is extremely polluted brownfield
- Jun 2011 – SunRae to open garbage processor in “Georgia county”
- Nov 2011 – SunRae to build plastic & worm casings factory in Walker
We’d also encourage you to read over past blog posts here and familiarize yourself a bit with the Underground before you accept the claims that we’re against business or anything else except political shenanigans.
More soon…
I wonder if Bebe really believes any of the nonsensical junk that comes out of her mouth? It is possible that she’s just a simpleton and easily led by folks like these water barons. It’s time for a change, and I pray that Walker voters are as fed up with her foolishness as I am.
That’s a good point.. Maybe Bebe sincerely does believe these people, just like she apparently believed the story presented about that hotel on Lookout Mountain. But even if she’s well intentioned and fully trusts what they say to be true, she should be replaced for being an idiot.
But she’s no idiot.. Seems she knows better, but is willing to play along (even if it costs the county money) because it makes her look good and she thinks a majority of Walker voters are morons.
— LU
As long as nobody investigates this muddy water business, it appears (on it’s face) to be beneficial for the county. I believe it’s a farce, and it wouldn’t surprise me if money hasn’t changed hands one way or the other to get this publicity BS rolling along here at election time. This whole thing smells worse than the old Barwick dye-house.
Real business people don’t take to the media to defend “Real Business”. If it were legitimate, we would not be having these discussions, and unanswered questions. If Bebe had wanted to gain some credibility, she should have questioned these people, and investigated the scheme before shaking hands in a photo-op.
Heiskell needs to go..