Published: March 18, 2009

KEF: Purchase not favorable

By Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer

BEREA — Berea City Council continued the discussion Tuesday as to whether or not the former Parker-Seal property on Lewis Street should be purchased by the city, however, no decision was made.

Long-time Parker-Seal employee Jack Farmer presented the council with information about past plant expansions and spoke in favor of the property being purchased.

“I would like to see it used for something,” he said.

However, the Kentucky Environmental Foundation (KEF) based in Berea, reviewed all past surveys and studies done related to possible contaminant on the property and found several inconsistencies.

KEF member Craig Williams presented the council with a report that included those inconsistencies, as well as the overall opinion of the organization as to whether or not the city should purchase the property.

According to the KEF report, only one of the six reports done to investigate the environmental condition of the Parker-Seal property was done by an organization not being paid by the potential seller of the property, Parker Hannifin Inc.

“The one report, contracted by the city, and not paid for by Parker Hannifin, found the highest levels and most diverse types of contaminant on the property and recommended against recreational use of the property and warned of additional conditions that ‘could represent significant future liabilities.’”

The KEF acquired help from two professors from Eastern Kentucky University’s Environmental Health Science Department, Gary Brown and Carolyn Harvey.

The two reviewed and gave observations and opinions about the property’s environmental state.

“Having reviewed the documents, KEF and the two experts strongly advise against the purchase of the property by the city and propose the alternative of having the property declared a Brownfield by the United States Environmental Protection Agency,” the report stated. “As defined, Brownfields are real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.”

Council member Greg Lakes said he had received several comments from local residents who are not very supportive of the idea.

“They don’t want us to spend the money for this project,” Lakes said. “I’ve been told by a lot of folks that this is not what they want done.”

While the consideration of the environmental safety of the land and facility, another factor must be considered, according to council member Troy VanWinkle.

“Clean or not, do we need it?” he asked.

In January, the council authorized Mayor Steve Connelly to sign a contract indicating the intent to purchase the old Parker Seal plant for $150,000.

The nine-acre site on Jefferson Street includes a 70,000-square-foot building, which opened in 1951 as Berea’s first manufacturing plant, and has not been used for about 10 years.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.