I was dismayed to learn that Centralia has decided to lift its moratorium on new warehouses, and I am horrified by the plans to inflict five more of these monstrosities upon the Ford's Prairie area, along the banks of the Chehalis River.
Not only will this have an obvious negative impact on the river and the character of the area, it will inflict excessive traffic, noise and pollution upon the people who call this place home.
The upsides for the citizens of Ford's Prairie and Centralia are few and meager. The jobs these warehouses provide are far from desirable; just consider the innumerable horror stories told by those forced to seek employment at such establishments. What handful of miserable jobs and what paltry payout of dirty tax dollars they deliver will not make up for the harm their presence and operation will inflict upon the community.
Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of a cancer cell. Down that path lies soulless ranks of warehouses flanked by strip malls and ticky-tacky suburbs.
When we seize whatever business opportunity comes our way, regardless of consequences, we find ourselves the dumping ground for every predatory corporation looking to exploit desperate folks.
We need to intentionally seek out the businesses we want in our communities, and learn to say no to those in search of easy prey.
Andy Zahn
Toutle
