Our Press Conferece

On January 15th, we held a great press conference.  Members of our group, along with several Vincent citizens detailed why White Rock's quarry is the last thing Vincent needs.  We talked about property values, water, sinkholes, traffic, and a handful of other things.  The speakers did a great job and we're grateful to them for taking a stand in front of the cameras and their community.  Take a look at the coverage below:

 

CBS 42: Rock Quarry In Vincent

By Kimberly Rankin

 

Vincent residents are fighting to keep a rock quarry out of their city. White Rock mining company wants to build a quarry less than 2 miles from Anne Gibbson’s home. 

“I am heart sick about it really. It tears me apart to think of this rock quarry being here,” says Gibbson.

She is also worried about the quarry damaging her water supply. She gets water from a drilled well. 

“White rock told us that the possibility exists that we will lose that water,” says Gibbson. 

Other are also worried about the city’s water supply. 

“They will experience water problems sink holes will develop when there is no water to support the surface,” says Dr. Karen Joines. 

Residents are also worried that property values will plummet. 

“Property values would be lower to compensate for any cause such as noise blasting heavy trucks going by,” says Jo Mudd. 

For residents who live in Vincent they may have neighborhood fields that now have hay bails and cotton turn into a hole full of rocks. 

“I am worried about the noise and truck traffic they are going to be building those walls out of dirt those trucks are going to have to bring it you are going to have loud equipment,” says Otis Mccrimon. 

 

The quarry will dig a hole two football fields deep and 80 acres in size. The residents will not be permitted to vote on this issue but council members will in the coming months.

 

 

 

 

Birmingham News: Vincent Residents Speak Out Against White Rock Quarries Plan

 

By Malcomb Daniels

A group of Vincent residents today launched another effort to keep a Florida-based company from opening a limestone quarry in the town.

White Rock Quarries has asked Vincent to rezone nearly 1,000 acres for a quarry.

With the first public hearing on the company's zoning request less than two weeks away, the Vincent Historical and Environmental Society, which opposes the quarry, today called a news conference in downtown Vincent. Residents took turn voicing their concerns.

"We don't need White Rock coming to Vincent," said John McCutcheon, who moved to Vincent from Homewood almost five years ago.

McCutcheon and others said the quarry would disrupt the small-town atmosphere. Some said they were concerned the quarry would threaten water quality.

White Rock says its operations would not cause problems for the town, and would bring in needed jobs and revenue.

Residents will state their opinions to the town's zoning board at a public hearing scheduled Jan. 26. No vote on White Rock's request will be taken that night.

 

Shelby County Reporter: Anti Quarry Community Leaders Hold Press Conference in Vincent

By Melynda Sides

VINCENT — Approximately 20 people gathered in front of the Vincent Gin for a press conferencecalled by members of the Vincent Historical and Environmental Society at 10 a.m. Jan. 15. Several Vincent residents spoke about their reasons for opposing the proposed quarry that White RockQuarries wants to bring to their community.

Anne Gibbons opened by talking about her family’s source of water, a 250-foot-deep well built by her father. She said she had been told by White Rock that her well, along with others in the community, could lose its capacity for water if the quarry is built.

Jo Mudd, who owns a catering and food production company in Vincent, spoke about the property value depreciation that will most likely be a result of digging the quarry. She estimated a $4.6 million dollar decrease in property value for the area as well as a $200,000 decrease in tax dollars if the quarry comes to Vincent.

“I moved away from Pelham so that I could have a horse farm. But if the quarry comes, I would have to seriously consider moving mybusiness and home for fear of sinkholes,” Mudd said.

A Vincent resident for four years, John McCutcheon moved to the area from Birmingham. He is facing a potential loss of $30,000 in the property value of his farm. In his speech, he focused on the environmental issues of the quarry like the noise and light pollution, an increase in traffic from the trucks, and the adverse effect on wildlife.

Dr. Karen Joines gave more facts about the proposed quarry. “We have been told that it will be 80 acres wide and will expand between 30-50 acres per year for the first few years. Can we even imagine the magnitude of the hole in the ground that large?”

Lifelong residents Otis McCrimmon and Kim Riggins both spoke about how the quarry would change their hometown for good.

“Everyone here gets along with everybody, it’s quiet and beautiful, but already this quarry is dividing us,” said Riggins. “It will destroy our ability to enjoy sitting on the front porch at night or listen to the birds in the day,” she said.

McCrimmon’s property on Highway 62 is near the proposed quarry site and he passes scenic cotton and soybean fields everyday. “They won’t be there anymore if the quarry comes to town,” he said.

White Rock spokesperson Stephen Bradley said that the numbers and allegations from the pressconference are “completely false.”

“Neither cotton, nor soybean, nor any other agriculture will be affected by the quarry,” said Bradley.

He also refuted the property value depreciation claims and said that the city of Vincent should see a $30-$40 million positive increase in revenue from the quarry over the next 10 years.

“The tax on the purchase of equipment that White Rock would pay to the town of Vincent would be $3.5 million during the first 18 months of operation at the quarry,” said Bradley.

On Jan. 26 the Vincent zoning board will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. in the Vincent High School gym to allow citizens to voice their opinions about the quarry. Then Vincent’s planning commission will either accept or reject the proposal to rezone the area for the quarry.

The commission will then give their recommendation to the city council and mayor, who will have the final decision in the quarry debate.

 

Fox 6 News: Vincent Quarry Faces More Opposition

VINCENT, AL (WBRC) - More opposition has risen to a proposed rock quarry in the Vincent community of Shelby County.
   
The Vincent Historical and Environmental society held a news conference on Friday to talk about the negative impact they say the quarry will create. A drop in property value, water well damage and sinkholes are some of their concerns.

Vincent city leaders say a rock quarry would create 125 much-needed jobs.