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City Concerned Over JustCore Concrete Crushing

Tuesday, December 03, 2019 - Posted 4:04:05 PM

JustCore Concrete has been crushing concrete at its facility at the north edge of Minonk in order to reduce the concrete rubble from various jobs into gravel. However, the company's actions is drawing criticism from some of Minonk City Council's members. Alderman Russell Ruestman and Alderwoman Julie McNamara expressed concern at Monday night's city council meeting. They said JustCore has not applied for a special use permit to do the concrete crushing and suggested the city work out something with the owners.

Justin Faulk, co-owner of JustCore, said he was notified by the city that fines will be issued and legal action will be taken.  Mr.  Faulk said he was notified by the city last year that the concrete rubble at the site had to be cleaned up and that he will need a special use permit even though the Illinois EPA said the site was not in violation of any EPA standards.

Mr. Faulk said the reason he hasn't gotten a special use permit is because he has tried to get on the city's agenda to get approval and got tired of waiting. Mr. Faulk said they went ahead to do the concrete crushing because this is the slow season for their work and they have the time to do the crushing.

Mr. Faulk said it will cost $20,000 to crush all the concrete they have accumulated and intends to spread the resulting gravel throughout the firm's lot. He said if he had to get that much gravel hauled in it would cost $60,000. 

He maintains the crushing operation is not creating any pollution and the noise is not that great either. He said he hoped the city doesn't file a lawsuit because it will be causing more of the community's tax dollars to be spent on lawyer fees. 

Below is a video of the operation.




Correction: Paragraph 1 has been corrected to reflect statements made by the council members.

Comments

Jennifer Murrah: Ridiculous!~ how many houses has just core flipped in this town? the one on the corner from me was made beautiful compared to the couple that had it before the bank repossessed it. Since then a couple of nice renters have been in and out. Instead this city wants to complain about a trailer in the yard of certain people, but 5 in another's yard. Disbanding the police department, I could go on and on but ignorant is what it is.
Mark Ferguson: This is just what JustCore said they wouldn't do when they went to the city and asked to open up there business. At that time it was brought up about the concrete crushing and the city board was told oh no were not going to crush concrete. Then 6 months later didn't they go back and ask for permission and was denied. Hmmm looks like the city was made chumps of after all. They were told clean it up not crush it up.
Holly McKenna: Mark Ferguson Agreed!!!! they think they're are above the law!
Richard Beschorner: You people don't get it do you! City asked Justcore to clean up and they did! Don't understand the "pissing match" you guy's want! Then peeps complaining about sewer and water issues on the same subject WTH you got a sewer or water issue why post on this issue! Far as I'm concerned Justcore did a stand up job getting rid of a problem!
Nancy Jones Ferrero: Just a thought for the Board...On Interstate 55 north this summer. I witnessed this amazing process..Jack hammers broke up the concrete, machine with a conveyer picked up the chunks, dumped into a crusher, crushed concrete came out the other end, down went the rebar and then poured concrete...BOOM amazingly efficient for the state don't you think! All this while we traveled 30 mph in the right lane.....
Tammy Ann: Why not spend the legal fees on upgrading the sewer system so people quit getting shitty water in their basements.
Kirsten Waters: More government trying to step into something that's not hurting anyone. The city said clean it up. Sounds like they're just doing what was asked of them. Unbelievable nonsense. I support JustCore in this 100% and think their building and property is far better looking than the empty run down buildings in town.
James Mitchell: Yet the city totally ignores the property on the other side of town and allows junk to pile up overflowing the property, decreasing the property values of the neighborhood and creating a nuisance for the neighbors.
Travis Yetter: More of Illinois great bureaucracy in action. Top to bottom!
Andrea Minton: Why can't the city work this out with them rather than start a feud? Minonk has continually lost local businesses over the years, and as a result, citizens also. The community and city admins need to LEARN to support their local businesses. Otherwise they fail and leave, which is what has happened in the past. You need to work as a community to raise it back up together, not bring it down.
Donald Cline: If there afraid of dust,just water it does while crushing the concrete .it would be firemans practice. They could use pond water.And Justcore could make a donation to the firemans equipment fund.Need to be proactive,not reactive.
Stephanie Fuchs: This is absolutely absurd. Darned if you do. Darned if you don't. This is a real shame. Seems more politics than what's best for the community. A waste of tax dollars. And dividing our citizens.
Michael Cave: So if I read right, you told him to clean it up. Then deny the hearing to get the permit to clean it up. Then fine him for cleaning it up... now, the city hires lawyers to complete the cow in a corner move...
Rich Carver: That's the way I read it also. I just don't understand the city's point of view!
Donald Cline: Going to spend more in legal fees and cause hard feelings.Quit penalizing people for doing well in Minonk.
Eric Evans: What a joke. City of minonk at its best.
Ashley VanDorsten: So we're not going to be concerned about the water we shouldn't have been drinking for how long now?
Becky Peiffer Ashley: VanDorsten that was suppose to be all done in October but you still can't drink it. The city needs to worry about cleaning up the community instead of Justcore
David Howell: I would not want to live on the same side of town if the concrete is being crushed or broken-up; The concrete dust is Very poisonous whether it is being in-hailed or absorb into the skin and must be contained 100%. We in Minonk have enough carcinogens in our water.