The Menifee City Council Tuesday night officially asked Planning Commissioner Mark Matelko to furnish documents he claims provide evidence of the past use of sludge in Menifee and its negative impact on the health of local citizens.
Mayor Scott Mann received council members’ support in directing city staff to send a letter to Matelko, requiring him to provide these records by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. This request comes in response to Matelko’s recent published comments that he possessed documents supporting the claims of a local citizens’ group that sludge was dumped on a large area of the city and poses a legitimate health risk.
Sludge is the common name for biosolids that were used legally in some farming applications prior to their ban in 2001.
Members of the council agreed that it is important that if such documents exist, Matelko should present them for review and analysis. Some, however, said they doubted that the content would refute the testimony given during the council’s March 5 sludge information workshop, in which a panel of experts said there was no evidence of a local health risk from biosolids.
“When the dust settles – no pun intended -- I believe you will find that Menifee is still a safe place to raise your kids,” said deputy mayor Wallace Edgerton.
Councilman John Denver noted that Menifee’s real estate values are not increasing at the same rate as those in neighboring cities, citing the sludge claims as a possible factor. Echoing his concerns, Councilman Greg August further stressed the importance that any information presented by Matelko applies directly to the City of Menifee.
“I know Mr. Matelko will comply with this request,” said August, “but it must be with the caviat that the records have to apply to use of sludge in the city of Menifee.”
Matelko was not present at the meeting. His comments were made at the March 12 Planning Commission meeting, a week after a public forum regarding possible use of sludge in Menifee that he did not attend.
Earlier in Tuesday’s council meeting, anti-sludge advocate Katie Minnear repeated earlier concerns about the effects of sludge in the area, saying the March 5 workshop “was a joke” and that no legitimate experts testified.
Mayor Scott Mann received council members’ support in directing city staff to send a letter to Matelko, requiring him to provide these records by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. This request comes in response to Matelko’s recent published comments that he possessed documents supporting the claims of a local citizens’ group that sludge was dumped on a large area of the city and poses a legitimate health risk.
Sludge is the common name for biosolids that were used legally in some farming applications prior to their ban in 2001.
Members of the council agreed that it is important that if such documents exist, Matelko should present them for review and analysis. Some, however, said they doubted that the content would refute the testimony given during the council’s March 5 sludge information workshop, in which a panel of experts said there was no evidence of a local health risk from biosolids.
“When the dust settles – no pun intended -- I believe you will find that Menifee is still a safe place to raise your kids,” said deputy mayor Wallace Edgerton.
Councilman John Denver noted that Menifee’s real estate values are not increasing at the same rate as those in neighboring cities, citing the sludge claims as a possible factor. Echoing his concerns, Councilman Greg August further stressed the importance that any information presented by Matelko applies directly to the City of Menifee.
“I know Mr. Matelko will comply with this request,” said August, “but it must be with the caviat that the records have to apply to use of sludge in the city of Menifee.”
Matelko was not present at the meeting. His comments were made at the March 12 Planning Commission meeting, a week after a public forum regarding possible use of sludge in Menifee that he did not attend.
Earlier in Tuesday’s council meeting, anti-sludge advocate Katie Minnear repeated earlier concerns about the effects of sludge in the area, saying the March 5 workshop “was a joke” and that no legitimate experts testified.