Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Resident Concerns topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents say they are selling property and leaving Inola amid smelter worries
Summary
Multiple residents told the council they are seeing sales signs and people moving away because they felt misled about proximity to smelter operations; one resident said the "talk in town is not of anticipation, but of dread."
At the meeting, several residents described a pattern of property sales and departures linked to concerns about smelter operations and the industrial park. Janet, a resident recognized by the Chair, said couples who moved to the area to raise families had sold their properties after learning of smelter plans.
"We're beginning to see some mass exodus from our community; that's where sales signs are going up," Janet said. She added that some buyers "feel like that they were tricked into purchasing the land, and they don't wanna raise their families out here." Janet said the town "is losing our residents" and urged the committee to help connect with people who do not realize what is happening.
Other speakers echoed her concern that community sentiment has shifted from anticipation to dread: "The talk in the town is not of anticipation, but of dread," Janet said. Council members acknowledged the concern and discussed ways the committee could provide outreach and communication to address residents' questions and to create a record of conditions prior to any new industrial activity.
