There’s another that says something along the lines of “no matter how much good in the world you accomplish, you’re almost always recognized for doing something bad.”
The world Holly Refinery lives in is the best example of both worlds: do something good and hardly anyone will thank you.
But do something bad, and every neighbor in the city is against the refinery, and every nonenvironmental expert all of a sudden becomes one seemingly over the course of a few weeks.
As residents know by now, the Holly Refinery in West Bountiful is awaiting approval from the Division of Air Quality to “modify its emissions of certain pollutants,” according to the city’s website.
Though not many residents were present during the city’s last council meeting, city council members said residents “are concerned with anything that goes on in the environment.”
However, sitting in the back of the council room I couldn’t help but wonder, where were those residents? The ones who said they are concerned about Holly’s modifications, the ones who showed up when Holly wanted to put a PetCoke plant near (or even inside) the refinery, but didn’t bother to show when reports were first released?
What about the residents who showed up to thank the refinery when it presented the city council with current and future plans to make the refinery at least look better? How about when they donated a mobile command unit to the South Davis Metro Fire Department just a few months ago? News came of the donation, but few residents offered their appreciation for Holly’s effort.
Holly representatives told the city council that overall emissions from the plant will actually be reduced, which is at least slightly better for the environment, right?
However, more questions and concerns were offered instead of praise.
It was said that maybe residents of the city, as well as surrounding cities, have stopped trying to resolve the many complaints they have about the refinery. That could be true, but I only hope that’s the case with maybe a few residents.
I agree that people should be concerned about an incident that concerns the everyday lives of human beings; however, we should be just as quick in thanking those same people when they do something good for the community.
Even if it’s as simple as donating money to Lakeside Golf Course, or as major as getting a mobile command unit for the fire department.
So, from some of the good residents I know in the city to Holly: thanks for all the good you’ve done, but be cautious – I hear knives sharpening in the distance.
sgillet@davisclipper.com
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