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Resident objects to CHS railcar noise; city says March test measured below ordinance limit
Summary
Resident Gary Jackley disputed a March 3 decibel test for CHS railcars, saying he was not invited to observe; city staff said the test recorded a 62.4 dB average (max 64.1 dB), below the city's 65 dB limit and urged Mr. Jackley to pursue CHS directly while offering to include him at future tests.
Gary Jackley renewed public complaints about noise from CHS railcars during the council meeting, saying he was not invited to the company's decibel testing and questioning the test's legitimacy. "I wasn't there. I wasn't invited," Jackley said, calling the absence of local observers "ridiculous."
City staff replied that a March 3 police/engineering test at the intersection near the complainants' houses recorded an average sound level of 62.4 decibels and a maximum of 64.1 decibels, under the city's 65 dB ordinance threshold. Regina, speaking for staff, invited Mr. Jackley to attend any future testing and suggested he raise any operational concerns directly with CHS, adding that some rail authority and CHS jurisdictional issues may lie outside the city's direct control.
The exchange highlighted procedural tensions: Jackley said he had sought broader engagement, including calls to CHS headquarters, while staff emphasized that the recorded testing and video showed coupling and lid activity but measured below the legal limit. Councilors and staff recommended that Jackley and other residents pursue CHS directly while the city will assist in arranging future tests with residents present if needed.
