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Alderman Question Business Expansion Plan
The Galesburg City Council may not be too thrilled with a Galesburg business' plans to expand.

Aldermen heard on first reading Monday about Aluminum Castings' future plans. The business near Knox College and close to the city's downtown wants their property to be re-zoned so that more manufacturing can be done than permissible.

But 5th Ward Alderman and environmentalist Peter Schwartzman questioned the expansion, saying the emissions coming out of the plant are, in his words, overwhelming.

"Our heart of our downtown business sector district is only about three blocks away from the site," Schwartzman said. "And I think it's problematic to allow the expansion of such a business, especially in the production and manufacturing-- which is what this particular issue is pertaining to-- without due-diligence, without really thinking ahead."

Aluminum Castings President Bret Markum says the plant is operating legally, though he said he'd get more specific documentation on that to the council soon.

He says if the zoning change doesn't go through, the company will have to re-think its entire business plan.

The plant just added over a million dollars worth of equipment so they could expand, and are expecting to almost double their workforce.
06 06 12 by Newsroom
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