Davenport city council speeds up the Sterilite process
Publish date: 2024-05-26
Davenport City council’s move to speed up the process to bring a Sterilite factory to the city raises some concerns. Sterilite makes products out of plastic like storage containers and shelving. The new factory would be located in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center north of I-80, the same area the city wants to build the new Kraft Heinz plant. Davenport 3rd Ward Alderman, Bill Boom, said there is a reason for speeding up the process, including bringing hundreds of jobs to Davenport. But Jeff Milne said he’s concerned that the city is not taking the time to look at every impact of the project. “Reason for the urgency is there’s an opportunity for them to get this built faster,” Boom said, “To bring jobs and much needed additional taxes for our budget as quickly as possible.” Boom is defending the city council’s decision to speed up the process in getting Sterilite to Davenport, he says the land value will increase significantly. “The land right now makes about $20,000 a year in taxes, when they build up then it will put off about $17 million a year in taxes,” Boom said. But Milne is concerned because he said he has seen the council fast track other projects in the past and it has not worked out well. “Back in 2013, the city fast tracked a liquor license for a bar without getting the feedback from the community,” Milne said. “Instead they allowed the bar to reach out to the community. If I was a business owner I would do the bare minimum to get my license approved.” Milne also said there could be some pollution concerns with a plastics company in the city. “What kind of fumes are going to go into the environment and I live down the street from this business, so what is the impact on me and my family that’s one of the concerns I have,” Milne said. “Allowing the normal process for the zoning and economic development office to actually look at these things, would allow me to be aware of what’s going on.” But Boom maintains that this project will be a win-win for the city. “There’s no cost to the city, we don’t have to dig into city coughers to do any of this,” Boom said. All of what comes to this company comes out of future taxes.” Milne said while Sterilite will allow the city to grow, he wants the city to slow down and make sure all of their bases are covered and hear what the communities concerns are before speeding up the process. Meanwhile Boom said construction is still on track to be done in 2018. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7sMHRqqyanJOewaqx0meaqKVfo7K4v46dmK%2BdnqW8s8CMnKCtsV2YvLa6wqKjZqugmrKlv4yup2asmJp6tMDEq6CloaSaerG%2BzpycrKtf