GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — The Grand Haven Board of Light and Power has released a statement after the Grand Haven City Council decided not to reinstate Varnum as their legal counsel.
The decision by the Grand Haven City Council was made on Monday. In response, Grand Haven Board of Light and Power Vice Chairman Mike Westbrook released a statement, which can be read below:
"As vice chair of the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power Board of Directors, I am disappointed that Grand Haven City Council has chosen not to reinstate Varnum as a trusted attorney for BLP. Varnum's established legal expertise has been proven over their past 25 years of service for utility matters in Grand Haven. The City Council's action shows that they are not taking the necessary process for remediating environmental issues caused by the City-owned dump that was once active on Harbor Island. If they are willing to work with BLP in a serious matter, the community may have access to federal and state brownfield funds. I believe rate-paying electric customers, which include those in surrounding municipalities, will object to the use of electric rates to pay for the remediation responsibilities of others, including tannery waste, who used the former city dump and may very well be a source of the PFAS contamination.
"The City of Roseville, Michigan, recently settled a class-action lawsuit where increased storm water charges may have been used to increase city revenues for uses beyond storm water protection. It is very important that the City of Grand Haven does not use electric funds to pay for remediation from industrial waste left by other users.
"We are willing to get to work on clearing Harbor Island of the contaminants caused by the former Sims Power Plant, but can't do so until City Council approves actions for us to work toward a common goal."
Michael Westbrook
