A scrap recycling facility in Green Island, N.Y., is embroiled with the government of the city over the operations of the yard. The most recent salvo in the escalating problems between the company and city officials was the decision by the city to place concrete barriers in front of one of the scrap yards entrances. This move, last Friday, essentially cut off one of the two entrances to the facility.
According to the (New York) Times Union, the village’s board of trustees last month voted to close the curb cut to halt trucks from using the road in front to ship scrap metal.
Tony Dawson, president of R. Freedman, however, says that problems with the city have been brewing since he acquired the facility two years ago. At that time, according to Dawson, the village mayor expressed the opinion that the facility was not welcome in the community.
Dawson says that over the past two years the village has made it more expensive for his company to operate. The most recent decision to cut off one entrance to the facility will increase the cost to transport material to the yard, while forcing trucks shipping scrap from a road that is used for heavy industrial usage toward a road that goes through the middle of the city.
Dawson says that R. Freedman will be looking for a court order granting a preliminary injunction against the barriers, while the two sides go to court and determine the viability of the scrap yard’s operations.
Another concern, according to local press reports, has been the amount of scrap metal that has been scattered on the roads leading up to the facility. The debris could cause damage to automobiles using this road. However, Dawson says that since acquiring the facility he has never had a complaint about a flat tire caused by metal debris from trucks shipping material to the yard.