Sure, there was likely some self-interest in trying to reduce possible lawsuits. Still, Barton Solvents Inc., the company that owns the plant in Valley Center that had the tank explosions, and Coffeyville Resources, the refinery that leaked oil during the recent flood, deserve credit for stepping up and trying to make amends to citizens affected by those industrial accidents. Barton Solvents reimbursed Valley Center residents for their meal and lodging costs for when they were evacuated after the July 17 explosions. And Coffeyville Resources offered to buy about 300 homes damaged by the July 1 spill at 110 percent of the pre-flood value. More damages might need to be paid out, but the companies seem to be trying to do what’s right, which is refreshing.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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16 Comments
“the companies seem to be trying to do what’s right, which is refreshing.”
“And Coffeyville Resources offered to buy about 300 homes damaged by the July 1 spill at 110 percent of the pre-flood value.”
What if those residents really don’t WANT to have their lives uprooted, and their homes (not houses) bought up JUST because someone FORGOT TO CONSIDER INFRASTRUCTURE!!!
Our Democratic Governor has been hamstrung since her first day in office, by Republicans who want tax breaks instead of national security and infrastructure.
Who controls our legislature?
Every election cycle, a Republic Party shawdow group insists tha candidates promise “no new taxes.”
It’s a simplistic, (literally) no-brainer for politicians. Peole don’t like taxes. Hell, I don’t like check-out counters at the grocery store.
But the “no new taxes” bumper-sticker mentality of “conservatives” has contributed to the deterioration of this nation’s infrastructure.
That so-called “conservatives” are more than willing to spend a trillion dollars to destroy Iraq’s infrastructure rather than protecting America’s tells volumes about the “conservative” mindset.
Fact is, responsible governance requires imposing new taxes, repealing old taxes, tying up old tax loopholes, and reestablishing as fair and representative a tax policy as is humanly possible.
Ironic, isn’t it, that the much demeaned “Taxachusettes” has the lowest divorce rate in the nation? The same state that lets gays marry (thanks in no small part to the support of their former Governor Mitt Romney), and promotes reproductive choice, and has elected Barney Frank and Ted Kennedy for years and years.
Fact is, politicians talking about sewers and roads and bridges doesn’t raise the rabble like “BABY KILLER!!!” and gay marriage and the inherent racism stirred by the so-called immigration “problem.”
“Conservatives” changed the political arena for the past twenty or thirty years. And by concentrating their efforts on fringe issues that promote fear, prejudice, and hate, the Republic Party has to own up to deregulated refineries, deficient bridges, broken levees, exploding underground steam pipes, poisoned spinach, antifreeze in toothpaste, lead paint on made-in-China toys, tainted pet food, and hundreds more assaults on what most of us consider the Amerian Way of Life.
“The same state that lets gays marry (thanks in no small part to the support of their former Governor Mitt Romney)”
Uh… That’s not true. Romney fought the gay marriage thing tooth and nail until the last minute he was in office.
I’m no fan of the mittster, but if you are trying to somehow smear him by saying he supports gay marriage and helped the bill pass, that’s a flat lie.
Smear him because he is a right wing nut case. But he gets NO credit for Massechusetts’ sanity in marriage laws. He promoted the insanity as long as he could.
“And by concentrating their efforts on fringe issues that promote fear, prejudice, and hate, the Republic Party has to own up to deregulated refineries, deficient bridges, broken levees, exploding underground steam pipes, poisoned spinach, antifreeze in toothpaste, lead paint on made-in-China toys, tainted pet food, and hundreds more assaults on what most of us consider the Amerian Way of Life.”
You forgot tooth decay, bad breath and the heartbreak of psoriasis.
Mock LTP,FTL all you want outie, you know he/she is totally accurate. YOUR party is responsible for the stated travesties and much, much more.
Republicans claim to be the “Party of God” when in fact they are totally representative of true evil.
True evil….Bwahahaha, bwahhahaha….
Seriously though, if you really believe that bd, you’re just another brainwashed fool.
LTP, KFG deserved to be mocked. Especially when they trash up a thread topic with unrelated negative garbage.
And now back to the topic.
Yes, these business owners deserve high praise for admitting the mistakes was theirs and offering what they did.
This is “old school” business ethics and it still works.
“LTP, KFG deserved to be mocked. Especially when they trash up a thread topic with unrelated negative garbage.”
This coming from the biggest nic-switcher, nasty troll on the WEBlog!
The TRUTH hurts don’t? Speaking of brainwashed, isn’t that what all you koolaid drinking repukes really are?
“This is “old school” business ethics and it still works.”
As If!
Tell that to 235 of my friends and co-workers who just got told their jobs are going to Mexico.
Barton Solvents is handling this matter the way it should be handled. Stepping up to the plate is good public relations. I still have concerns about the facility being so close to the business and residential areas of Valley Center.
On another note, although no one was hurt in the explosions or aftermath, I noticed that a certain prominent Wichita law firm was taking out ads in the local papers almost immediately soliciting business related to this event. That smells like low rent profiteering.
Both good PR and smart business. Make people whole up front and you minimize liability down the road.
Years ago I was involved in a traffic accident. 100% the fault of the other driver – one of those wierd things that happened because her kid distracted her. At about 8:05 Monday morning I got a call from her insurance agent – “get two estimates and we will handle it.” He stayed in his office late Thursday and I got a check.
He was able to put the case in the closed file. I got my money. Plaintiffs lawyers never entered the picture. Good sense on agent’s part.
I subsequently went to Court with the driver when her ticket came to trial and recommended that the fine be suspended. Judge asked what my interest was and when I said I was the “victim” he really had no choice but to suspend the fine. Saved her a couple hundrd bucks.
Her actions in calling her agent and his actions in ‘fixing things’ saved everyone money and hassle.
Whatever happened to repsonsibility? Maybe this is the motivating factor behind these two companies stepping up to the plate. They are to be commended but first think about this.
These two companies are both located in small towns. What would the future be like if there is still animosity towards their companies? I’m sure life in Valley Center or Coffeyville would be unpleasant for any company official if they did not at least own up to their responsibility during these accidents.
I commend the two companies for taking the actions they did. It was good for relations in the communities where they are located.
With my commendation comes a recognition of the reality of the law of strict liability applicable to both. That said, the companies did the right thing, in a nonadversarial manner, to both their credit and the benefit of the injured parties.
‘Make people whole up front and you minimize liability down the road.”
Well,whose corporate negligence made them fractured so they had to be made whle again?
Why don’t they take responsibility for their mistakes and put some of those billions into PREVENTING a flod like this.
And why do the need to build thieir facilities so close to humans, we have some serious wide-open spaces here inKansas, if we have to build poisons plantys, at least put them where they aren’t a threat to homes and lives.
I am always amazed at how readily the media forgives the errors of these corporations, yet they are so quick to spend faux rage on politician’s haircuts and fluff journalism.
http://www.topix.net/content/kri/2007/07/kansas-health-department-cites-cause-of-coffeyville-oil-spill
Yeah they really stepped up as in the Coffeyville case. Read the articl. The Crude oil release happen BEFORE there was any floodwaters at the refinery.
Hard to rectify.
110% of the buyout of these houses will be nothing after there is the environmental cleanup. The 110% buyout MAY cleanup the property, but it will not rebuild the house.
JEP – in many cases the humans moved close to the plants.