Residents press trustees on Goshen project, remote voting and transparency

Public comment at the Village of Manteno meeting included multiple speakers raising concerns about the proposed Goshen plant, trustee remote attendance rules and local accountability.

Anne Gates criticized counsel for Goshen, saying he had previously worked in federal CFIUS roles and later joined outside counsel for Goshen (she named Morgan & Lewis) and argued the relationship suggested a conflict of interest. Gates cited national reporting and hearings about foreign land purchases near sensitive sites and urged trustees to resist measures she said would limit public voice, including remote voting for appointed trustees.

Other residents echoed safety and transparency concerns. Bob Forsythe urged trustees to scrutinize company spokespeople and questioned the adequacy of fire‑safety equipment described earlier. George Reichardt criticized the Goshen project’s impact on town cohesion. Several commenters, including Dolly Carson, argued that allowing trustees to vote remotely would reduce in‑person accountability and called for clarity on who drafted the proposed ordinance.

Trustees responded that the remote‑attendance proposal will be discussed in committee and noted statutory limits in post‑COVID rules that require a physical quorum for most actions. No formal policy change on remote participation was adopted at the meeting; trustees asked for more discussion and legal review before any vote.

The board did not resolve the substantive disputes about the Goshen project at the meeting; those concerns were expressed by residents during public comment and were not followed by formal action.