The Smell Over on the West Side of Indianapolis.

From: Jim Gandolf, 7-2-2012 I have moved back to Indianapolis Indiana several months ago. I love my feelings as I moved back home again in Indiana (As the song playes on). My positive outlook of helping my family and friends, being here has given me just a little trouble on the west side of Indianapolis. Yes; I am talking about the smell of a gas leaks, right by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This gas leak smell was never there at all when I was a young man. I just didn’t know where this smell was coming from at all. I went to some neighbors and asked them, “Hey; is this some sort of gas leak?” The most common answer I did receive was, “No one can find out what the smell is at all." I found out through trial and error in my quest for this foul smell. The smell was coming from a company called Crystal Clean on the corner of 10th street and Holt road. Refining used motor oil right in my old neighborhood. Now; in Speedway, Indiana and the West side of Indianapolis has a stench that reminds me of Rock Island that used to be on the Northwest of Indianapolis, Indiana. I had a neighbor give me a flyer about a foul odor and a community meeting for the date of June 26, 2012 at the Fairfax Christian Church at 7:00pm. I thought about this meeting and prayed about this meeting and what to do about this meeting. For one thing I have never been to meeting like this at all. My thought was to come home to Indianapolis, Indiana and rebuild the west side area of this great city. I have the means to build a great influx of jobs for this area on the west side of Indianapolis, Indiana. But; In my planning stage of this over the last few months, was the smell of sulfurs type of gas. Plus my not understanding what that smell is at all. My thoughts over this smell; was getting me down. How can the City of Indianapolis, and the town of Speedway, Indiana expects to redevelop this wonderful area? Scott Harris with the town of Speedway Indiana has a great vision of grandeur, and I’m so impressed with the new developments with this great area of Indianapolis and the Town of Speedway, Indiana. Hello; but the smell? I was told by the Town of Speedway that they spent ten million dollars on the new street that span up and down main street Speedway, Indiana. I was told you can buy land on Main Street in the Town of Speedway until the Development Board sees the plans. Well did the Town of Speedway see the plans that Crystal Clean was going to stink up the air at all? How can I put a wonderful restaurant with a race shop and merchandise spindle of excitement anywhere over here on the west side while this stench has settled over this area? I went to this community meeting at the church. There were just about 70 some odd upset people there in that church. This meeting was a success in a fact finding mission for me. First of all the families from the west side were screaming with such a mad atmosphere. The leader of this wonderful action was Tom Glass, and he spoke of actions that we can take. There was some great information at this meeting, How to develop community leaders. Crimes watch groups. The mayor’s office was there, and a city council member was a great wealth of information, there at this meeting. As for the future of Crystal Clean over here on the west side of Indianapolis? On July 12, at 6:00pm at George Washington High School; will be a town hall meeting over this subject. This will be the time to let the city leaders know your thoughts about the smell over the west side of Indianapolis, Indiana. I watched last Thursday in a board room at Crystal Clean, as a council member for this side of town (The west side) say to Crystal Clean that she will no longer support Crystal Clean if they just can’t get this smell; and bad chemical processes going throughout the air on the west side of Indianapolis. I watched a lady that represented the Hispanic community on the west side of Indianapolis, saying, “I will stop at nothing to get rid of this plant on her side of town.” I am with her on that statement as well. I will be at George Washington High School for this Town Hall meeting. July 12th, 2012 at 6:00pm.

Jim Gandolf