Committee approves revised wording to exclude detailed confidential complaints from public monitoring reports

Franklin City’s Quarry Monitoring Committee on April 22 approved changes to how the committee’s monitoring report will treat complaints from residents who accepted deed language waiving objections to quarry impacts in the Pleasant View Reserve subdivision.

Stantec consultant Kristin explained revised wording that would acknowledge complaints tied to the new development but withhold detailed identifying information from the public-facing quarterly report; the revision would include a note stating that full complaint details are available from the city upon request.

Clint Wenninger of Payne and Dolan said the changes are needed because some property owners in the new development “have accepted that the quarry operation may have an effect on the use and enjoyment of their lots, and have waived their rights to any objections.” He described repeated anonymous complaints that staff would not release without a Freedom of Information request and urged clarity in reporting so the public record does not overstate complaint trends.

Wenninger said he attempted outreach to residents who had complained, offering tours and follow-up; he told the committee, “We’re always gonna talk to them whether they did that or not.” Committee members discussed balancing transparency with privately waived complaint rights and staff confirmed that the city’s complaint form includes a checkbox allowing a complainant to request no contact by city representatives.

A motion to approve the proposed adjustments passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition. Committee members said the new language will be used beginning with the second-quarter monitoring report.

Committee members asked that the public-facing report clearly note which complaints are summarized due to deed language and how full complaint records can be obtained from the city.