DERM

It is only at Mr Dotson's insistence that the DERM representative will be coming to address the pollution issues in the areas under consideration for annexation. Nobody else has said a WORD about this concern. NOBODY. The County has said they have cleaned up some of the areas but has NOT said how much more needs to be done. There were some SIGNIFICANTLY polluted areas out there and we need to know how much pollution remains, as it could entail considerable financial risks to us if we annex polluted properties. This is, hopefully, a part of the process of DUE DILIGENCE if the DERM info is accurate and timely. To say that bankrupt businesses that have not been viable or are extinct for the past 20 years are responsible for the cleanups, is preposterous, of course. They went out of business for a reason. Some current or past businesses wont clean up a mess they didnt make, and really shouldnt be held responsible. Others may simply refuse, or dont have the financial means to do a cleanup. Some cleanups have run into the millions of dollars. THEN what do we do? Aerodex has been defunct for over 20 years, likewise Miami Drum. ALL of these issues need to be addressed, discussed and debated before any intelligent decision can be made. The same process needs to happen with mitigation fees, boundaries, FEC, and zoning, not to mention taking a hard look at the basic numbers that the City Manager suggested.