We have lived with increasing frustration for months now over the unfortunate series of decisions in which our responsible public authorities bent over backwards to manipulate the rules, prevent full-disclosure and look for loopholes, in order to bring incompatible heavy industry operations into our midst. As in most situations, how decisions are arrived at can be as important as the outcome itself. If bringing Rockwool here was such a great decision benefiting our economy and quality of life in Jefferson County, it should have withstood full and open public discussion. As it turned out, responsible elected and subordinate appointed officials pulled “the wool” over our eyes, to serve a few special business-interests in the community.

While it appears that Rockwool’s distasteful presence may be irrevocable, we may yet hold some of those incumbent Jefferson County Commissioners responsible by voting them out of office on November 6 and remove the remaining offenders in succeeding elections. It would be fitting retribution, and perhaps capture the attention of future political hopefuls.

Mike Austin, of Shepherdstown