Resident warns of security risks tied to 'Goshen' development; officials say they are monitoring interactions

At Tuesday's Manteno Village Board meeting, Ann Gates used her public-comment time to raise security and sovereignty concerns about projects associated with 'Goshen,' citing federal committee hearings and news reports as context.

Gates told the board that she reviewed Senate committee testimony and television reporting and urged vigilance around foreign investment in infrastructure. “Silence is complicity,” she said, and warned that some land purchases and industrial projects could create risks to critical infrastructure. She also recommended that, if Goshen wishes to donate vehicles to local law enforcement, the company instead supply turnout gear, PPE and SCBA to better protect first responders.

The remarks were made during the public-comment portion of the meeting and did not prompt an action item. In response to concerns raised by residents over the course of recent meetings, Mayor Gilmore said village staff and board members attend monthly meetings with Goshen representatives and that they ask “those questions” directly. Mayor Gilmore added that the village has been meeting with Goshen and that officials are ‘‘doing the best we can’’ to be informed.

The meeting record also shows that a separate legal matter related to Goshen remains in a holding pattern at the request of the plaintiff’s attorney; the board indicated it is awaiting further process and is not changing operations while the case progresses.

These comments represent public opinion and do not constitute findings by the board. The board did not announce any policy changes or new regulatory reviews based on the remarks at this meeting.