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Resident alleges ongoing contamination from Ashley Chemical site; urges council action
Summary
A Jacksonville resident told council she discovered chemical waste sites near Forest Street and blamed continued contamination for illnesses and animal deaths; she urged the city to stop contaminated runoff into McCoy Creek and demanded further cleanup.
At the public-comment portion of Tuesday's council meeting, Sally Barnes said she discovered multiple chemical waste sites near Forest Street and accused a nearby remediation effort by Ashley Chemical Company of leaving contamination in place and sending polluted runoff through residential areas.
"I found three waste sites... there's one on Forest Street where my daughter went to school. My daughter died of a mysterious illness," Barnes said, asking the council to act. She described prior cleanup work that removed two inches of soil and said that was insufficient. She also said contaminated runoff had killed pets and that neighbors had developed cancer.
Barnes requested the council help stop contaminated outflow from reaching McCoy Creek, which she said is slated for development as part of the Emerald Trail, and asked the city to require a more thorough remediation. She said she possessed a report and asked that it be used to compel additional cleanup and oversight.
Council members did not take immediate action on the record to open a formal investigation; some members invited the speaker to the green room for follow-up. The transcript records no direct response from the Ashley Chemical Company during the meeting.
Next steps: Speaker was directed to meet with council staff for follow-up; the record shows no on-the-spot city directive or funding commitment at the meeting.
