Dear Editor,
Last week, I sat in a meeting with a group of people I had never met before, brought together by the proposed quarry for Putnam County. We came here six years ago, in March, for the lake lifestyle. While each of our reasons for being here may differ, our concerns remain the same.
Most in that meeting were from multigenerational families — people who worked hard to maintain their way of life and preserve the hope of passing it on to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. That is a powerful legacy. Some of them fought a similar battle more than 15 years ago, and they recognize the warning signs all too well.
Our elected officials need to understand why longtime residents are pushing back. This is not about stopping growth. People here are not anti-business; they just want businesses and growth they can coexist with in a meaningful way.
Second- and third-generation families did not choose heavy industry. They chose Putnam County for its quiet roads, clean air, stable homes, and a way of life built over decades. Now they are being told that blasting, truck traffic, dust, noise, and declining property values are simply the price of “progress” — and they should accept that intrusion for a relatively small amount of tax revenue compared to the real cost to the community.
The quarry can shut down someday. The company can move on. However, the damage to homes, health, and quality of life can be permanent.
That is not progress. That is extraction. The discussion of facts focuses narrowly on permits and projected revenue, while ignoring legacy and quality of life. Those omissions matter, too, because once lost, they cannot be reclaimed.
Putnam County is not just vacant land waiting to be used — or used up — and longtime residents should be considered the foundation of this community, not obstacles to growth.
If everyone is treated equally, we all can coexist and grow. That’s what real progress looks like.
Don Sadler Putnam County