Hot reaction on Yadkin scrap

Sunday's column "Yadkin's waters brew a fight" brought a mixed reader reaction:

Mr. Betts: In your opinionated story, I see a lack of good journalism, poor research and a disregard for the truth. The Stanly County Board of Commissioners have spent one million dollars of tax payer's money on this whopper. I feel it would be beneficial to this community and state for you to examine it more thoroughly. Perhaps you might begin by considering the 40 year license issued to Alcoa Power Generating Inc. for its care of the Little Tennessee River. How could the company be so different in Tennessee and such a monster in North Carolina?

I should tell you that I worked for The Aluminum Company of America. My thirty years of employment was spent in the smelters at Badin and at Alcoa works. Perhaps you might discredit me because I was an employee. I was a first line supervisor on the floor of the smelter, and I have a journeyman knowledge of the smelting process.

And there was this:

You did a terrific job capturing the essence of the ALCOA relicensing conflict in Stanly County. The entire column was right on and your one sentence hushed ALL the criticism that I have heard:

"The company lost its best argument for renewal about 1,000 jobs ago."

And this:

This act of a socialistic mindset was started by a disgruntled Stanly Commissioner named Tony Dennis. He and his family have owned and operated a business under the USA free enterprise system all of his life! Now he wants to do away with the same freedom that allowed his family to accumulate their wealth!!

Alcoa has been a very good citizen for many years, at least since 1912. Stanly County and the surrounding counties has been the beneficiary of the improvements that ALCOA has made along the Yadkin River from the northern most part of High Rock Lake to the Falls Dam East of Badin, NC. The Counties surrounding this area have reaped the benefits of increased property values and taxes, being able to pump water from the four reservoirs, to supply water for their citizens, which ALCO built. There are a number of economic reasons that ALCOA was forced to temporarily close the smelter. The fact that ALCOA “Yadkin Inc.” is still operating is due to the hydros are producing a profit. This would a decision that any business CEO would make even Tony Dennis!

My concern is that this is not about rethinking water use as Mr. Betts wrote, but the counties and state don’t want ALCOA to make a profit off their water! This water is not the Counties or the States; it belongs to all of us, God made the water!! Mr. Betts and Mr. Henderson both indicated that it was a bipartisan effort especially at State level, which indicates that not only the county, state, and even the Federal Government all are trending toward a socialistic mindset.

Everyone should get a copy of Sen. Fletcher L. Hartsell’s S967 Bill “Creation of Yadkin River Trust”. It is cosponsored by Philip E. Berger, Stan Bingham, Daniel G. Clodfelter, William R. Purcell, Tony Rand, and Jerry W. Tillman!!

All I can say is LOOK OUT DUKE ENERGY and PROGRESS ENERGY, you are using the Counties and States water to make a profit!!! Since the State cannot build and maintain its neither roads nor educational facilities, how can it operate all the power producing hydros in the state???