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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.a. Ray Knutson, Koch RefineryT0: Mayor Hoke Councilmembers: Napper Oxborough Walsh Wippermann P.O. BOX 510 • 2875 -145TH ST. W. ROSEMOUNT, MINNFSOTA 55068 612 - 423-4411 FROM: Stephan Jilk, Administrator/Clerk DATE: March 10, 1988 RE: Koch Refinery - City of Rosemount Discussion of Issues/Communication Gentlemen: Attached are copies of a letter I recently sent to Roger TenNapel, Vice President of Minnesota operations for Koch Refinery and his reply received hand delivered by Ray Knutson, plant manager for Koch. Ray and I met for only a brief time on Wednesday to discuss my letter and Koch's position in this whole idea of better communications with the city; the problems they have been experiencing and how some methods can be used to show the Rosemount community that Koch Refinery is interested in the community; and how to improve what may be considered a strained relationship between the city and the Koch company. The first step in this process, as I had suggested, will be to have someone from Koch speak to you to give you some insight into the problems they have been having, the concerns Koch has for the city and the concern they wish to express to improve the relationship with the city. Ray Knutson and either Tan Segar or Mike Hansel of their environmental division will be present Tuesday night to make such a presentation and to respond to questions you may wish to ask of them. I would not suggest that this be a forum for a drilling on all issues facing the company, but rather as an opportunity to get a "better feeling" towards what is generally going on there. Ray, his staff, and I, will be sitting down in the following weeks to discuss a permanent program to develop better communications between the city and Koch so we can form more of a partnership in the future of Rosemount. We may also discuss, as has already been mentioned to Ray and Roger, other programs which Koch as such a large entity could consider getting involved in and develope for our community. The intent, at this juncture, seems sincere. [41KOCH KOCH REFINING COMPANY A. D. TenNapel VICE PRESIDENT MINNESOTA OPERATIONS Mr. Stephan Jilk, Administrator/Clerk City of Rosemount P. O. Box 510 Rosemount, Minnesota 55068 Dear Mr. Jilk: March 9, 1988 In response to your recent letter regarding several incidents during the past several months which have occurred at Koch Refining Company, we acknowledge that these incidents have caused odor problems around the refinery and have raised concerns among citizens in Rosemount. Koch Refining Company aplogizes for these problems and pledges to correct both the odor problems and the communications problems about which you express concern. With regard to communications between Koch and Rosemount, we agree that we need to improve communications, both generally and when incidents at the refinery occur which may give rise to odors or concerns within the community. Please accept our apologies for not following up on your conversation with Tom. Our lack of a response was neither intentional nor an indication of how we would like our relationship to continue. We simply let things fall between the cracks. To get things back on the right track, Ray Knutson will be contacting you to set up a meeting in the next week to more fully discuss your concerns and to continue the process of improving communications and our relationship. We would also be happy to meet with you and the City Council at your convenience and further discuss improving our communications and our partnership. Sincerely, R. D. TenNapel RDT:bms P.O. Box 64596 • Saint Paul, Minnesota 55164 • 612/437-0700 ) IY of SCYYL(1 unl February 24, 1988 Roger D. TenNapel Vice President Minnesota Operations Koch Refinery Company P.O. Dox 64596 St. Paul, MN 55164 1' 11 fit 1;+ !.1(1 1►111- W; 111 ;1 W II0.`;EMt.i11N 1, MIIJhII !a 11/1 Y.I1(i(1 617 A71•AA11 Dear Roger: Several months ago I had a chance to talk to Tom Segar about a matter and I suggested to Tom, that considering some of the problems occurring at the plant with odors and emissions and the concerns they were causing with the general public and the Press, the City of Rosemount would like to see better communication between your facility and the city. I suggested that when incidents occur and telephone calls are received by the refinery that a call to the City could be made to let someone here at least know that there is a problem, or a perceived problem. I felt this would be advantageous to both the refinery and the city. The city gets calls when there is either a perceived or real problem and all that we are able to do is say, "we know nothing. I believe this makes the city.look awfully ignorant or attempting to deceive the public because most people cannot believe we wouldn't be kept informed by Koch. Tom never got back to me on titissue and since that time several incidents have taken place which have caused alarm in the community for which the city had no communication about except for responding with fire service vehicles. Even then, after the incident was cleared up, no communication to the city as to what took.place was ever given. The emission of odors and associated fire which took place on Friday, February 12, caused many phone calls to take place to our city councilmembers. They could not, even after contacting my office, respond with any answers because I had not been contacted. Roger D. TenNapel February 24, 1988 2 Koch Refinery is fighting, it would seem, an uphill battle with the public, the press, the MPCA and EPA. Koch also seems to feel that, though the company is located in the City of Rosemount; and the city I have come to understand has always extended a hand of cooperation to the company, does not seem to believe it should communicate to the city. Our city council has developed, right or wrong, that same attitude and wishes to correct what seems to be a loss of goodwill and cooperation between the city and the company. Every time an issue concerning Koch Refinery hits the media, it brings the reference to "Rosemount" with it. The city council does not want that image tarnished any further and wants to feel that it is a partner in maintaining a positive image and improving a relationship with a major industry in its community. At our last city council meeting on February 16th, the council passed a motion directing me to make this communication to you with their concerns. They firmly desire an improvement in our communications so that the city can be a partner in projecting a good image for the city. I would request therefore that you or your designee take an opportunity to meet with me to discuss methods of improving communications over issues which affect the media and general public. I would also request that following that meeting yourself or your designee take the opportunity to speak to our city council in an effort to support your desire to improve these communications and to improve a feeling of partnership in supporting and improving our community. Please contact me at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, Stephan Jilk, Administrator/Clerk cc: D.A. Paulson,'President I