Web posted
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Neighbors bothered by smell
City says it should get better
By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
reporter@arkcity.net
An odor from a wastewater pretreatment facility at the Kan-Pak plant on South Summit Street has several neighboring business people upset.
"It stinks and I don't like it," said Anna Wonser, owner of A & W Welding Supply, 1117 S. Summit. "People who come in to trade with us, they smell it too. It's pretty nasty."
A next door businesswoman, Carol Gabbert, addressed the City Commission on the issue Tuesday night.
"I think it's very detrimental not only because of the smell but because of property issues," said Gabbert, owner of the Mule Barn Supper Club. It is located across the street from Kan-Pak.
Gabbert said she lives behind the Mule Barn, and depending on the wind gets the smell both at home and at work.
"I'm getting ready to retire and had two potential buyers turn down the business because of the smell," she said.
Gabbert said she wasn't complaining to get Kan-Pak closed.
"I don't want to shut this plant down, but if Creekstone can knock their smell down, I know Kan-Pak can," she said.
Commissioners told Gabbert they would look into the odor issue.
On Wednesday, City Manager Doug Russell e-mailed commission members and reported that he had spoken with Gabbert and a group of interested neighbors regarding the issue.
Russell said he and the city's environmental supervisor, Clay Randel, and other city officials met with Kan-Pak and the company's engineering firm regarding the wastewater pretreatment operation located on Kan-Pak grounds.
"In early February, the city was provided a letter, detailing the construction modifications that are going to take place to improve the pretreatment process," Russell said in the e-mail. "This work should significantly improve not only the pretreatment, but also the odor issue."
The phased construction should mark improvements in the odor issue by early April, if not sooner, Russell said.
Commissioner Joel Hockenbury, who works at Kan-Pak, said he could not comment because there is a conflict. Kan-Pak officials did not return calls seeking comment.
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