Thanks to Trish Perry, Billy & Celia Dear, Irene Schneider, Marti Stone, Wendy M. Hargrove, Robert Sentell, Tommy Tipton, Joyce Roberts, Marie Flynn, Citizens for a Better Gurley, K Perry, Stan Simpson, Ripple McMullen, and M L Stowe for their strong involvement and commitment to the town of Gurley! Thanks to all new residents involved in helping Gurley to be a better place! Committee for a Better Gurley will not stop to fight. Topic started 04/15/2003 by Marti Stone and I & D Schneider.

Time Line Of Events
Gurley Community & Town History

Map Location

Examples

Important addresses & phone #

See & print the petition

M&N Petition For Annexation

5/5/03 - M & N Corporation has applied to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Agency (ADEM) (334-271-7700) in Montgomery on 4/10/03. According to ADEM the application was lost and M&N Corp. is re-applying. The company must apply to ADEM for 2 permits: one permit is for the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (deals with water discharge) the Director of this division is Steve Jenkins (334-271-7700) - the contact person at ADEM for this permit is Clifton McRoy (334-394-4315). The other permit required also comes from ADEM in the air division, contact person is Mr. Ron Gore Division 334-271-7868.

After ADEM has received the application, they make a determination on whether to go forward with the application. The next step is a Public Notice, which lasts 30 days. During this 30 day period the public may raise any concerns or comments regarding the rock crusher / mine going in at this location. If enough public opposition is established the Director of ADEM Jim Warr along with the other 2 other division chiefs ( Mr. Steve Jenkins and Mr. Ron Gore ) may call a public hearing. At the hearing, testimony may be presented on why the activity would not occur.

The opposition to the activity should be relevant to the permit issue such as water or air issues. The division chiefs could give you best direction of what types of comments. I was told comments such as: too much traffic in area / tearing up roads / truck traffic / are not good examples of opposition to the permit.

Any one can request a copy of the application made by M&N Corporation from ADEM. Request goes to Mr. Scott Dimock ( Record review) ADEM main # is 334-271-7700.

Update: 6/4 - Ron Gore of ADEM gave the following update on M&N Corporation

As stated earlier 2 permits are require from ADEM, (air and water permits).
These permits will both go through ADEM on approximately the same time line.
M&N Corporation resubmitted the air application and was received by ADEM 5/6.
ADEM deem the application inadequate and notified M&N Corporation of this status.
M&N Corp. has not resubmitted a corrected or more in-depth application as of this date.
The same situation with the water permit as in the air permit.
ADEM notified M&N Corp. of the inadequacies of the water permit, but the Corp. has been in contact with ADEM on rectifying and completing this application.
After both ADEM receives these applications they will go over and deem if everything necessary is listed and on application. After this is completed the public notice will occur.
The Public Notice is at least 30 - 45 days from happening and possibly 60 - 90 days. This variance depends on when the company returns the applications and if all necessary information is on applications.

04-15-2003 to 05/30/2003 - Webmaster was contacted by Marty Stone at the Gurley CP Church regarding the opposition to M&N Corporation. Information topic was created 05/25/2003 by the webmaster of the Gurley Community & Town History website.
All related pages were created during June 2003 to oppose M&N Corporation

Thu, 5 Jun 2003 12:26:35 -0700 (PDT)  - Newsletter Sent to Gurley Community by the webmaster of the Gurley Community & Town History website
M&N Corporation-Proposed Rock Crushing Plant and Strip Mine in Gurley, AL (Very close to MCES)
It has been brought to my attention that M&N Corporation (Rock Crusher, Quarry & Mine) has applied for air and water permits to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Agency.
After ADEM has received the applications, they will make a determination on whether to go forward with the applications.
The school nurse at Madison County Elementary School, is concerned about the safety and medical well being of the students in Gurley. MCES has 43 reported students who have asthma.
We have 30 - 45 days to react.
The opposition to the activity should be relevant to the permit issue such as water or air issues. For more information on Gurley's Citizens vs. M&N Corporation go to:
http://contactez.net/gurleyalabama/ADEMandMNCorp.html

The Webmaster

06-27-03 - Concerned Gurley residents distribute information door to door.
They leave as many flyers as possible front of almost all Gurley homes.

July 7 2003 meeting has been very helpful. Brian is a local resident of Gurley that graduated from MCHS and as he said: "They will only be a surface mine or what is necessary to build small to medium income housing"; Brian did not want to call it a "quarry" and all of this is good news. But many Gurley's citizens had concerns about the longevity of the project and more particularly because it is located right after the city's limits. The 2 mining permits they applied for are very sensitive because they give permanent important authorizations to the owners (or future owners). What about the other owner (who did not even come or prepare a statement)? What is their business plan? Do they have one? What about future owner(s) once the 2 permits are issued? Can we go back? Can we limit their activities if they violate what's being said now? Can we be certain that the life of our school and town will not dramatically change under the existence of this project? What about the look of the mountain once they are done? How is Gurley area going to be influenced by such a project? Other concerns were brought up: gravel trucks traffic on highway 72, civic responsibilities of a corporation toward the adjoining town of Gurley, why not being annexed to the city of Gurley...  Gurley's residents must get ready for the public hearing with ADEM.

July 15 2004 - J. R.

1. Does your company plan to only crush rock, or will you (at some point in time) be making chemicals such as chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, potassium chemicals and chlorinated organic chemicals?

2. Will your company have in place controls that will automatically shut down the plant if situations occur which could lead to an environmental problem, such as a failure of dust suppression equipment?

3. Will your company utilize seismic monitors to measure the vibration levels during blasting?

4. Will your company reduce the amount of, or totally eliminate, those waste materials that require off-site disposal?

5. Does your company have an alternative mode of transportation to move stone on the streets of Gurley other than diesel-powered trucks? (such as an electric conveyor)

6. Does your company plan to implement a "Community Outreach" program, wherein your members would openly communicate relevant, useful information responding to the citizens' questions and concerns, to include information
about waste minimization, reduction of emissions, health effects of your products and your company's efforts to ensure the safe transport of same?

7. At such time as this quarry is closed, will your company reclaim the land so that it can be returned to productive use?

July 22 2003 meeting - about 50 people present. Formed much needed committee of concerned Gurley residents. The Committee is: Stan Simpson, Bob Sentell, Tommy Tipton, Marie Louise Stowe, Dixie Ripple Mc Mullen, Mickey Childers, Irene Schneider, Robert Winn, Tillman Griggs, Marie Flynn, Mary Margaret Tipton.
The committee will compose letters to the following:
Highway department, TVA, Railroad, Federal Housing, Attorney general.

August 05 2003 meeting - vote on a resolution about annexation issue must wait until Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Town Council will meet again about zoning laws of the town which regulate activities as blasting and trucking. Proposed limestone quarry just outside of Gurley? Thanks to all long-term and new Gurley's residents involved in helping Gurley to be a better place!

August 19 2003 meeting - about 60 residents of Gurley were present at the meeting to protect and defend the quality of life in Gurley. Children with asthma will have breathing problems if dust clouds reach the school. Highway traffic will increase and danger for school buses will rise as well. Gurley's residents will defend the interests of their children, school, and town. Gurley's school has a tradition of almost a century of teaching in this location. Citizens for a Better Gurley will not stop to defend and protect this small southern town!

Since August 2003 - Citizens for a Better Gurley group has held fund-raisers, several town meetings and produced flyers, signs, and educational materials for the community.

September 9 2003 - It has been brought to our attention that Mr. McCord is planning on having his trucks on Wood Street.

I live on the section of Wood Street where these trucks will be. Needless to say, I am terribly upset. There are several reasons, my children play on this street, along with the other children in this neighborhood. This neighborhood consists of many older adults that have lived here for many years. I found out Sunday that Mr. Hollingsworth has lived here for 68 years! He was born here! Joe Layne, another neighbor, lives in the house his Grandparents lived in! There is heritage on our street, and safety for our children to play and ride their bikes, and play basketball on this road. The thought of these kids not having a safe place to play is horrible!

I have been praying a whole lot about this situation. Even though I have not been able to be at the meetings, since they are on the same days as I have class, I am still praying for you guys and for the quarry to just go away!

Has anyone thought about how we can go about restricting the weight loads on Wood Street?

Just a thought I had and thought I would share it with y'all. :)
Thanks! Wendy

September 9 2003 - Madison County High School will be affected by the air contaminates, also.

Sometimes there is a breeze that flows from Gurley Mountain towards Madison County High School. This same breeze will carry airborne particulate toward the school. Given the number of sports activities taking place at Madison County High School as well as Madison County Elementary School and the Gurley Rec Center, a lot of children are going to be affected - not only the local children but those from outside the area that come to participate.

I hope to be back in the thick of things shortly.
Thanks for your good work in fighting this.
Bob Sentell

October 3 2003 - USGS topographic map from the TopoZone: View a topographic map of the Gurley Area

TT

October 23 2003 - I have attached a simple map (no miles shown) to reflect the general proximity of Salty Bottom Rd., where Mr. McCord stated his trucks would be entering/exiting U.S. Hwy. 72 East, to the Flint River. My question for you is this: Has anyone on the Committee inquired as to a relation to this proposed quarry site and the "Flint River Basin Project"? (You can locate more info. on the Project on the Web.)  This might help in an environmental way.

I would still suggest to the Committee that someone from Auburn or A & M  University(s) should be asked to come and determine whether or not the Gurley residents have an environmental "leg to stand on"  in the matter of opposing this rock quarry. JR

November 6 2003 - Personal Experience: I can tell you from personal experience how hard it is to try and live with rock quarry in your back yard. My mother lives in a different state but suffers from the same misfortune of having a rock quarry behind her house. She and other residents in the area have tried to get the quarry shut down or at least to abide by the law as written but with very little success. All of them suffer from cracked foundations and other damage to their houses from blasting and general quarry work. Sadly every time there is a violation the quarry company always finds a way around prosecution. In so many words the people living around my mother have been told by the quarry that they haven't got the power to fight a court case or the power to have them prosecuted. The mountain my mother lives on has been reduced to a 400' deep hole about 3 miles long. Only with outside help from land conservationists and the environmentally minded community were they able to at least stop the quarry from blasting down below a specified depth. That was good but the result was the quarry proceeded to mine horizontally. What was once a beautiful, very old mountain ridge slowly disappeared over a period of years. All of the huge Beech, Oak, and other trees were bulldozed and burned wiping out some of the most beautiful Beech forest glades I have ever seen. There is no master plan to return this land to the beauty it once held only to do some type of half hearted reclamation. My point of this note is this; 'Once the damage has been done there is no way to repair or return the land to way it was made because man did not make it, man can only destroy it.' How long will it take before Keel Mountain becomes a target for a mining operation?

LF

December 16 03 - ADEM meeting in the auditorium at the Madison County Elementary School in Gurley. Enormous support from the town's residents against the quarry to protect 51 asthmatic students, Gurley's National Register of Historic Places, 130-year-old homes, Gurley's businesses, Sand Branch, Hurricane Creek, Flint River, Gurley Public Housing, Madison County Elementary School... Also very noticeable and strong support from U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, Madison County Commissioner Jerry Craig and state Rep. Albert Hall, Madison County school board, who all spoke against the quarry. A grateful day for the "Citizens for a Better Gurley".

February 21 04 - The status of the Annexation Bill for annexation of the quarry site is listed as HB170.
Bob S.

March 1 04 - The annexation Bill was signed and approved by Governor Riley.
Mayor Hornbuckle will now schedule a special election date to vote the M&M quarry property into the Gurley City Limits.
Tuesday 03-02-04 Gurley Town Council Meeting

March 09 04 - Citizens For a Better Gurley send newsletter to Gurley Residents:

Mayor Roger Hornbuckle has announced a SPECIAL MEETING for Wednesday night March 10, 7 pm at the Town Hall for the "introduction and passage of Ordinance #281", petition for annexation of the M & N Materials property into the city limits of Gurley.
As you already know, Governor Riley signed a bill into law to decide the annexation of this property by a vote of the citizens of Gurley.
Please attend this meeting tomorrow night and demand your rightful opportunity to vote on the annexation of this property.
Respectfully,
Marie F. Citizens For a Better Gurley

March 11 04 - Citizens for a Better Gurley influenced council members to dissolve meeting without voting on McCord's annexation request. It took about half an hour. Residents were waiting in the entryway of the too small Gurley Town Hall. Gurley town council finally turned down annexation offer.
The date for the vote for annexation of the property slated for a rock quarry is: 13 of April from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thanks to the Citizens for a Better Gurley!
See Ordinance #281 Petition to Annex Quarry by Brian McCord