A Metaphor

By Tom Farley

Someone's dog relieved itself by the river on a trail going to Laura's Tower. The owner did the right thing and cleaned it up but then left the bag next to a tree.

It always costs more in time and money to do it wrong.

This reminds me of the Rest of River Municipal Committee. From the 1940's through the 1970's, GE decided to relieve itself of its PCBs in the river. Now they say they will clean it up but will leave part of it in Lee at the proposed dump site. It will be wrapped and sealed in Butyl Membrane. They cannot guarantee it won't leak. If it leaks, future generations will have to clean up the dump.

You don't cleanup your kitchen by sweeping the dirt into the Living Room. GE will have to clean up twice. Stockbridge, Lenox, Sheffield, Great Barrington — This is not a done deal!

It always costs more intime and money to do it wrong.

My 31-year-old son said, "Thanks Dad, your generation is leaving a lot for us to clean up."

GE and the EPA are doing it wrong, and it will cost all of us in the end. A good first step for us — the five towns in Rest of River — would be to talk to each other. As a resident of Stockbridge, I would like our Board of Selectmen to do just that. If anyone else feels the same way, let your representatives know now!

It always costs more in time and money to do it wrong.

When Bob Jones decided to move to Lee it was a great loss to the town of Stockbridge and a great gain for the town of Lee. To describe Bob - take your dictionary and look up honorable, trustworthy, and intelligent. On behalf of Lee, Bob is asking for our help with Lee's battle to stop the dump. I picked up the bag the dog owner left behind. Sure enough, it was leaking. We ignore Bob Jones at our peril.

Fun Fact: General Electric annual gross profit for 2022 was $21.02 Billion.

Rest of the River Cleanup $576 Million. $576 Million is 2.54743% of $21 Billion — pocket change.

Photo: Lis Wheeler