Rick Redding was an original founder of this website.
The Wall Street Journal has taken note of the Butchertown-Swift battle:
Longtime Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson says he wants the plant to find a new home, preferably nearby.
-SNIP-
The union that represents most of the plant workers, Local 227 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, fears the dispute could drive the plant far from Louisville, taking jobs that pay about $40,000 a year plus health and pension benefits. In a letter early this month, the union pleaded with the mayor to protect jobs from the “yuppies” who “don’t respect people like us who work with their hands.” Sunday, hundreds of union workers and supporters carried lit candles and signs saying “Save Our Jobs” at the slaughterhouse ahead of the hearing.
-SNIP-
Early this year, after city officials learned JBS had started an expansion without getting proper permits, the zoning board voted to let the project proceed with some conditions. JBS sued the board, calling a requirement for landscaping improvements “arbitrary and capricious.” The neighborhood group also sued, saying the board wrongly allowed the company to modify its “conditional use permit” under which the plant operates. The suits are pending.
Click here to read the rest.
What a hot mess.
6 responses so far ↓
1 David Harpe // Nov 16, 2009 at 11:47 am
The comments section in the article you linked above is fascinating.
2 jake // Nov 16, 2009 at 11:49 am
More fascinating: That the WSL writer spent two days in Louisville researching the matter – including an entire day inside Swift – and that’s all she wrote.
3 Steve Magruder (I, not D or R) // Nov 16, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Yeah, the WSJ article comments are a case study in archconservative “thought”.
It’s typical that they ignore that Swift is the one not acting as a good neighbor and not complying with the rules as required by the conditional-use permit.
4 Carter Burger // Nov 16, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Ok, suppose that Swift starts acting in “good faith” and starts following the rules. Ms. Noel will still shoo the workers away, which is very stupid I might add. Running your customers off? Hello!
The people will still complain about the slaughterhouse. I don’t understand the thought process of people who move into a neighborhood then insist the neighbors change. If you don’t want to live there, don’t move in. And if you insist on living there, don’t complain about the slaughterhouse you know is there.
5 jake // Nov 16, 2009 at 7:37 pm
People: It’s important to educate yourself before commenting.
This is not about a slaughter house merely existing in a neighborhood. This is about a slaughter house repeatedly ignoring zoning and repeatedly breaking the law.
There is no way to excuse it. None.
6 Btowner // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:38 pm
The only change people in Butchertown have asked for a facility that follows the law.
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