After denying for months that it was the source of the foul odor in Carthage, Renewable Environmental Solutions reached a deal with the city of Carthage and the Missouri Attorney General's office that was announced Friday.
According to a news release from the state, the company will spend about $50,000 for machinery that will take care of the problem, but will shut down until after the Carthage Senior High School graduation.
While the removal of the odor problem has to be applauded, the company seems to be getting off pretty easy. In the first place, company officials lied about the source of the odor. They knew full well what the source of the problem was.
And what about the horrible attitude displayed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which ignored Carthage residents' and city officials' pleas to investigate the situation.
If it hadn't been for the intervention of Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt, his son, Governor Matt Blunt, and a newly-appointed DNR Chief, Doyle Childers, Carthage residents might still be tilting at windmills, vainly trying to get state officials to do their jobs.
The elimination of the odor was the main goal, but the idea that you can reach a deal to simply do what you should have done in the first place and not be penalized for actions that violated environmental regulations and for lying to city and state officials, is setting a bad precedent.
At the least, the company should be forced to use a disclaimer every time it calls itself "Renewable Environmental Solutions."