Manteno board sets July 31 deadline for Goshen to sign fire‑brigade agreement and warns occupancy permit could be pulled

Trustees and residents pressed for clearer safety protections tied to the Goshen battery plant, setting a short timetable and enforcement steps after a monthslong dispute.

At the meeting, Trustee Todd Geske summarized an outline the board and outside consultants drafted that would require Goshen to staff an on‑site fire brigade and meet certification and minimum‑manning standards. "They've got to either agree to these terms or not by July 31," Geske said, and he added the document requires the brigade to be "in force, fully staffed, and operational" by Aug. 31. Geske said trustees agreed if Goshen does not comply the village would pull its occupancy permit.

Retired Frankfort Fire Protection lieutenant Ben Hanson, who attended the committee session as an adviser, described the staffing standard the board is seeking: "If they follow that traditional 24 on/48 off firefighter shift you'd be looking at a staffing of 18 firefighters 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," and he said he felt "very comfortable with that" approach as a mitigation strategy.

Residents who spoke during public comment urged caution and transparency. Alexander Kanatka, introduced as a 21‑year resident, asked the village to publish OSHA, EPA and fire marshal reports and said Goshen had offered limited information about recycling and byproduct handling. "They don't cite anything on how they would recycle the batteries," Kanatka said.

Trustees described operational checks the agreement would include: surprise inspections, reporting requirements to the main dispatch when staffing falls below required levels, and obligations that Goshen halt production if critical staffing thresholds are not met. Trustee Mike Berry said a recent unannounced inspection found the plant had only two brigade members on site during a check; the agreement seeks to eliminate that gap.

Trustees acknowledged the possibility of litigation if the plant refuses to sign. "They're gonna turn around and sue us," Berry said, adding the board expects both sides could incur legal costs. Geske said the board had worked with BNF Technical and others to incorporate OSHA and other operational benchmarks into the written outline.

The board provided 25 copies of the draft requirements to the public at the meeting and directed staff to make additional copies available. No formal ordinance vote was recorded on the floor that night; trustees described the document as a written condition tied to Goshen's occupancy permit and said enforcement steps would follow if Goshen fails to accept the terms by the stated deadlines.