Issue date: 11/18/08 Section: News

Gary Reed, director of Eastern's Facilities Planning and Management, speaks about how the proposed power plant would work and what the layout would look like during the information session in the Charleston Carnegie Public Library on Monday night. (Erin Matheny | Daily Eastern News)

Eastern officials defended plans for a new energy center during the third informational meeting with Charleston residents Monday night.

Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs, said replacing the current on-campus power plant with the new Renewable Energy Center near the intersection of 18th Street and Edgar Drive would help make the university more pedestrian friendly.

This angered some at the meeting who were concerned about increased traffic from the trucks that would bring fuel for the plant.

"That smacks in our faces," said Charleston resident Mike Neal. "I've watched children in that subdivision walk to school… I don't think it's going to be very pedestrian friendly (for them)."

Cooley tried to ease those concerns, saying the new plant would only require two more trucks each day than the current plant.

"What we anticipate with this facility are four trucks per day," Cooley said. "We currently get about two trucks per day."

Charleston resident Chuck White said he feared the plant would hurt the value of nearby homes.

"Having spent a lifetime in real estate, I know that property values will decline somewhere between 15 and 20 percent," White said.

Tensions at the meeting grew when White suggested that Cooley, who will retire Dec. 31, might leave Charleston.

White threatened to place signs reading "power plant coming soon: buyer beware" near Cooley's home.

"I want to make sure that you, Jeff, personally share in the devaluation of our property," White said.

Cooley stood quietly as White spoke and did not immediately respond.



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Mike Southards, another Lakewood resident, said he felt the new plant would save Eastern money at residents' expense.

"We pay a premium price to live in this neighborhood. We pay premium taxes to live in this town," Southards said. "It seems to me that we're going to be asked to make the economic sacrifice with none of the economic benefit."

Others complained that the university plans to take its contract with the energy-consulting firm Honeywell to the board of trustees this Friday.

Many said they did not learn about the new plant until two weeks ago.

Cooley pointed out that the university's 2002 master plan already called for a new power plant on the site, adding that the master plan had been designed with input from the city of Charleston.

"We've had conversations with the city about this for quite some time," Cooley said.



Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.

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