Our Community Must Be United

If you have a Facebook account, you can go to the "Citizens Against Norfolk Southern" page and read many many posts written by your neighbors who are upset by this proposed rail yard.  If you have driven around lately, you've seen yard signs protesting the rail yard as well.  

These are ALL good things to do!  The more awareness we can bring to our community, the better armed we will be to fight this thing.  As the old saying goes, "Knowledge is power."

But sometimes "knowledge" differs from "fact".  That happens far too often - where someone "KNOWS" something, or was told by another who "should KNOW" that a certain thing is so, when in reality it is most decidedly NOT TRUE.  

No one is suggesting that our friends or neighbors are deliberately lying to us - but unfortunately, they are unwittingly passing on false information as fact, and this can have a huge negative impact on efforts to unite community members against this terrible proposal.

Let's examine just a few of these items together:

Property owners didn't have a choice - the railroad took their land by eminent domain

FALSE

While the use of eminent domain is one option that a railroad might consider, there is a lengthy process involved in that option.  It can take two full years before a claim under eminent domain might be adjudicated.   

Did Norfolk Southern threaten eminent domain when they met with individual property owners?  We don't know.  What we DO know is that eminent domain was NOT used by the railroad.  That is a FACT, and not an opinion.

In addition, currently the land is only leased.  It has NOT been sold.  No property has actually been purchased by the railroad.  This fact is easily verified by checking with the Lucas Co. Auditor's Office.

You can see the railroad working on the land every day, so obviously there's nothing we can do about it.

FALSE

As stated above, the land is only leased by NS at this point.  Should their planned rail yard project be thwarted, their requirement is to then return the land to its prior condition.

The fact that we can see work being done on the land is NOT an indication that the rail yard is a "done deal" and that we have no chance of stopping it. This perception is false.

My (friend/relative/etc) works for Norfolk Southern, and the employees were told this project is a done deal, and NS is going at this thing with "guns blazing" and nothing was going to stop them. 

PENDING

We have no doubt that NS is going full steam ahead in trying to make their proposed rail yard a reality . . . BUT  at the time they began this project and held those employee meetings months ago, they had no way of knowing how much anger would be generated against this project by members of the community.  They had no clue Swanton Township would hire attorneys familiar with the railroad to fight against them.  There was no way for the powers-that-be at Norfolk Southern to have any idea how big of a fight they would get from our people.  

The land owners who have given NS options to purchase their properties have not sold anything yet, and could stop the rail yard plan by ultimately refusing to sell.  To date, this has not happened.

A vital part of the project requires that Scott Road be closed at both sides of the tracks.  In order to close the road, NS must petition the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).  The PUCO is then required to hold a public hearing on the matter prior to making their decision.

So far, NS has not initiated a petition to close Scott Road with the PUCO.  But if or when they do:

THIS  is where we hope to stop them.  The hearing itself will most likely be held in our area, and interested parties will be allowed to address the Commission.  THIS is where we plead our case. THIS is why we need as many individuals and elected officials from the Village of Swanton and Swanton Township as possible to be ready to testify against the  project.

THIS is why it is so important for Village Council to not sell a small piece of land to the railroad, so that they can testify at the hearing about the terrible, negative effects this project will have on the village.  If they sell that piece of land, they lose all credibility with the PUCO.

THIS is why it is important for our School Board elected officials to step up in their official capacity to speak on how the project will affect our kids.  We're talking significant  safety issues here, folks!  

If you'll stop to consider for a moment, the greatest impact from the proposed rail yard will be felt in the village itself, even though the land needed is in Swanton Township.  It will become extremely difficult to cross the tracks at any crossing in town - Hallett Ave. will become a busy thoroughfare.  The tracks run right through the middle of the village - as trains are greatly slowed to accommodate the requirements of the yard, getting from one side of town to the other will be nearly impossible.  

We do have a chance to stop this thing - but we must stick together, and keep the pressure on the railroad to get outta Dodge.  Don't get confused, and don't get frustrated, thinking our hands are tied.

If all  of us continue to stand together, we can stand up to the railroad and save our community!

 TOGETHER WE CAN WIN !!