01-03-07 Update:

I am usually not a pessimistic person, as I tend to look at the bright side of things. But to be honest, it is depressing to read the false information being presented to the Goodland community in the latest series of newspaper articles about how well the construction at the Goodland Energy Center is progressing. It will take awhile to sort through the flurry of "upbeat" information found in recent newspaper articles regarding the energy center. According to the newspaper, the workers did not stop working Friday, December 15, and lay down the crane, but rather, they received an early holiday break "to be with family". How nice for the workers! Maybe we should ask the families that moved here to work on the plant, and now are looking for other jobs. This is a fact, and I can't imagine how the workers reacted when reading in the newspaper they are on some kind of holiday vacation. They are OUT OF WORK, not on vacation. Here are the facts, since they will apparently not appear anywhere else. Many of the workers are no longer at the construction site because they had NEVER BEEN PAID. It is interesting that the workers themselves told local residents they were out of work DUE TO NON-PAYMENT, and yet once again the lies continue by stating the workers were given an early holiday break. Why does the truth not seem to make it to the Goodland residents? Why do lies and deception about this project continue? It is also interesting that Ron Pickman and Mark Justus, the two most visible people heading up the project, suddenly and quietly vanished from the scene without so much as a peep from anyone. And now when questioned, remaining energy center officials and investors state "they were never really going to stay anyway". Now they are "consultants". Again, what a convenient excuse. One would think from local newspaper articles that it is a rosy picture at the energy center site. There are school tours (which occurred two days before the workers quit), steel going up and yet another power contract being discussed. Bull! It is difficult for the energy center to work out another power contract with the city when they themselves admit they have no idea what kind of price they will charge for the power!

In fact, it is NOT a rosy picture at the energy center construction site according to some people in the know around town. One reason for this web site is to get some facts to the people about what is going on. The fact is, the investors are worried and scrambling to keep this project alive. They are worried they will lose a LOT of money. In one recent newspaper article, one of the investors stated this project MUST move forward and Sherman county residents must have patience. Yes, I would think in the eyes of the investors this project must move forward, otherwise their life savings will be lost.