Post by QueenCityMotorsports.com on Jul 17, 2007 16:16:18 GMT -5
Controversy stirs over Moler Raceway
More than 200 petition to put raceway out of commission
By WADE LINVILLE
Sports Editor
Sterling Township trustees, Steve Metzger and Hank Dingus, listen to complaints regarding Moler Raceway Park during the June 25 meeting.
Since construction began on Moler Raceway Park July 4, 2006, there were a number of Sterling Township residents who protested the opening of a racetrack in their area, claiming the establishment would create aggravating noise, dust and exhaust fumes for those who live nearby.
Following the May 25 grand opening of the raceway, the controversy over the racetrack reached new heights.
Patricia Rumsey, speaking on behalf of a group called the Sterling Township Concerned Citizens Committee, appeared at the June 25 Sterling Township Board of Trustees meeting with a petition holding more than 200 signatures obtained from residents who would like to see Moler Raceway Park shut down.
Moler Raceway Park is located in a relatively secluded area about a mile and a half off state Route 32, on Harker-Waits Road. The racetrack holds events on the average of once per week, sometimes twice a week if a special event is to take place.
Several nearby residents who appeared at Monday's township meeting claimed the racetrack is a "nuisance" and decreases their property value.
"There are people losing thousands of dollars on their home value because someone wanted to make a little money," said concerned Sterling Township resident Geoff Strobl.
Racetrack owners, Kevin and Kim Moler, said they've received more positive than negative comments regarding Moler Raceway since the park opened and measures were taken during the construction of the raceway to assure that the bothersome noise, dust and exhaust fumes were limited as much as possible.
"We tried to set up the raceway the best way we could and we put a lot of thought into keeping the dust down and limiting noise," said Kim Moler. "We had people investigate it (noise and dust) from all directions and all roads (near the raceway), and most people didn't have a problem."
A tree line surrounding the racetrack was left standing during construction to control dust that may drift to a neighbor's property.
The tree line also helps limit noise, as does requiring competitive drivers to use mufflers on their cars, according to Kim Moler. If drivers don't come equipped with mufflers on their cars, Moler Raceway will provide a muffler for them.
"We do our best to keep the dust and fumes down, and to limit the noise. We try to be good neighbors," said Kevin Moler. "On Friday nights, we try to be done racing by midnight. If we happen to have a Sunday race, we start very early (around 2:30 p.m.) so we can be done very early."
What many concerned residents who protested the raceway refused to bring up during Monday's well-attended Sterling Township meeting were the positives that come with having such a popular form of entertainment in the township.
Since it opened near the end of May, Moler Raceway Park has consistently filled its grandstands with an average of more than 3,000 in attendance.
On an average weekend, the racetrack draws between 85-90 competitive drivers that come from five different states, and some from as far away as Canada, to compete in the weekly event.
Those traveling from out of town to compete or watch the event are often spending money in the county on commodities such as hotel rooms and food, therefore helping to improve income from sales tax in the county, according to the Molers.
The raceway has also created more jobs in the area.
"The raceway creates about 50 part-time jobs," said Kevin Moler.
Although many of the part-time employees only work at the raceway once a week, it still provides an opportunity for locals to earn money, including college students who come home to Brown County for the weekend with the intent of earning extra money, according to the Molers.
"We think it's a good thing for the township," said Kevin Moler.
Kim Moler said she received very few complaints from neighboring residents when construction of the racetrack was underway and, now that the track is up and running, complaints about the racetrack made directly to her or her husband are still limited to very few.
"We haven't received many complaints at all," said Kim Moler. "Most of what we hear is very positive. The drivers who come down to compete love the track. Thousands of people come every week to enjoy the show.
"We need entertainment in the county."
A golf course would have been a much more inconspicuous form of entertainment for Sterling Township, but would another golf course in the county consistently attract onlookers by the thousands who come each week to watch the show.
The Molers did not choose to construct a racetrack rather than another form of business just because they knew it was a huge opportunity in an area that's big on racing. They chose to construct a racetrack simply because race car driving is what they know best.
The Molers come from four generations of race car drivers, from grandfather Victor Ike to Kevin and Kim Moler's son, Joey.
Kim Moler has even relished her share of success on the track as a competitive driver.
"It's just what we do. We're a racing family," said Kevin Moler.
To the Molers, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives in the matter.
However, there are still many concerned citizens of the township who do not view the raceway in such a positive light as the Molers do.
"We want for Moler Raceway to be closed down," Rumsey said while speaking for the Sterling Township Concerned Citizens Committee.
Roy Weddle, a Sterling Township resident and real estate agent, said he spoke to an attorney and it would take a civil suit to shut down the racetrack at this point. A civil suit could be quite expensive for the residents of Sterling Township.
Racetrack protesters who attended Monday's township meeting looked for action to be taken immediately regarding the closing of the racetrack, with hopes that the petition with more than 200 signatures provided solid ground to stand on in their argument when stating their case in from of the Sterling Township Board of Trustees. After speaking with the township's attorney, Tom Grennan, Sterling Township Board of Trustees President Steve Metzger told the group of concerned residents there is most likely not much that can be done now that the raceway is up and running.
Members of the committee then brought up the issue of passing a noise ordinance.
"If it's not in the power of the (township) trustees, we petitioners want a noise ordinance," Rumsey said as she spoke for residents who want the raceway closed down.
The committee suggested a noise ordinance be put in place by the township trustees. However, a noise ordinance, if now adopted, would only apply to new establishments coming in.
The raceway would be considered "grandfathered in," according to Metzger.
"We can pass a noise ordinance and we can do it tonight. Whether it will have any effect on this issue, I don't know," said Metzger.
A noise ordinance, if adopted now, would prevent new "noisy" establishments from moving into the area, which may help some of the outraged Sterling Township to "rest easy" knowing their Friday nights will not be filled with further disturbances caused by excessive noise.
At the request of the committee, Metzger said he would look into a noise ordinance being drafted for adoption, tabling the matter until the next meeting to give time for an attorney to draft such an ordinance.
For the unhappy residents of Sterling Township, the raceway may be considered a nuisance, but for the Molers, it's like a dream come true. A dream they've spent their hard-earned money on and put forth countless hours of labor to make a reality.
"We did everything legally and we went through an attorney to make sure we were doing everything legally," said Kim Moler. "This is supposed to be America."
Kevin Moler, who spent time in the U.S. Marine Corps to protect a free country, felt no one should be able to stand in the way of what he wants to do on his private property, as long as he abides by the law. With no zoning in Sterling Township and no ordinance to limit noise at the time the raceway opened, the Molers felt they only did what they had the right to do by building the raceway.
"We needed something in the county to draw big names and to make people come. The local kids love the responsibility of working on the tracks and it gives them something good to do with their time," said Kim Moler.
With the law on their side, the Molers have tried not to worry about the many complaints rolling in to township trustees, but stressful thoughts are hard to avoid while there are people out there who are intent on seeing the raceway fail.
"We're told not to worry, but you really don't know what will happen. There are people giving false hopes that something can be done about it, but everything we did was legal," said Kim Moler. "We're trying to be as neighbor friendly as we can."
The Molers hope that nearby neighbors and other Sterling Township residents will become accustomed to Friday night's racing action on their property and the complaints of flying dust, noise and exhaust fumes will soon fade away. But Metzger felt the 200 plus people that signed the petition to have the raceway closed for good will push the issue until something is done.
"This issue is not going to die," said Metzger.
If you would like to contact the local paper in support of MRP, please visit the link below with e-mail addresses to the News Democrat.
molerracewaypar.noonhost.com/support-moler-raceway-park-and-the-moler-family-vt698.html
More than 200 petition to put raceway out of commission
By WADE LINVILLE
Sports Editor
Sterling Township trustees, Steve Metzger and Hank Dingus, listen to complaints regarding Moler Raceway Park during the June 25 meeting.
Since construction began on Moler Raceway Park July 4, 2006, there were a number of Sterling Township residents who protested the opening of a racetrack in their area, claiming the establishment would create aggravating noise, dust and exhaust fumes for those who live nearby.
Following the May 25 grand opening of the raceway, the controversy over the racetrack reached new heights.
Patricia Rumsey, speaking on behalf of a group called the Sterling Township Concerned Citizens Committee, appeared at the June 25 Sterling Township Board of Trustees meeting with a petition holding more than 200 signatures obtained from residents who would like to see Moler Raceway Park shut down.
Moler Raceway Park is located in a relatively secluded area about a mile and a half off state Route 32, on Harker-Waits Road. The racetrack holds events on the average of once per week, sometimes twice a week if a special event is to take place.
Several nearby residents who appeared at Monday's township meeting claimed the racetrack is a "nuisance" and decreases their property value.
"There are people losing thousands of dollars on their home value because someone wanted to make a little money," said concerned Sterling Township resident Geoff Strobl.
Racetrack owners, Kevin and Kim Moler, said they've received more positive than negative comments regarding Moler Raceway since the park opened and measures were taken during the construction of the raceway to assure that the bothersome noise, dust and exhaust fumes were limited as much as possible.
"We tried to set up the raceway the best way we could and we put a lot of thought into keeping the dust down and limiting noise," said Kim Moler. "We had people investigate it (noise and dust) from all directions and all roads (near the raceway), and most people didn't have a problem."
A tree line surrounding the racetrack was left standing during construction to control dust that may drift to a neighbor's property.
The tree line also helps limit noise, as does requiring competitive drivers to use mufflers on their cars, according to Kim Moler. If drivers don't come equipped with mufflers on their cars, Moler Raceway will provide a muffler for them.
"We do our best to keep the dust and fumes down, and to limit the noise. We try to be good neighbors," said Kevin Moler. "On Friday nights, we try to be done racing by midnight. If we happen to have a Sunday race, we start very early (around 2:30 p.m.) so we can be done very early."
What many concerned residents who protested the raceway refused to bring up during Monday's well-attended Sterling Township meeting were the positives that come with having such a popular form of entertainment in the township.
Since it opened near the end of May, Moler Raceway Park has consistently filled its grandstands with an average of more than 3,000 in attendance.
On an average weekend, the racetrack draws between 85-90 competitive drivers that come from five different states, and some from as far away as Canada, to compete in the weekly event.
Those traveling from out of town to compete or watch the event are often spending money in the county on commodities such as hotel rooms and food, therefore helping to improve income from sales tax in the county, according to the Molers.
The raceway has also created more jobs in the area.
"The raceway creates about 50 part-time jobs," said Kevin Moler.
Although many of the part-time employees only work at the raceway once a week, it still provides an opportunity for locals to earn money, including college students who come home to Brown County for the weekend with the intent of earning extra money, according to the Molers.
"We think it's a good thing for the township," said Kevin Moler.
Kim Moler said she received very few complaints from neighboring residents when construction of the racetrack was underway and, now that the track is up and running, complaints about the racetrack made directly to her or her husband are still limited to very few.
"We haven't received many complaints at all," said Kim Moler. "Most of what we hear is very positive. The drivers who come down to compete love the track. Thousands of people come every week to enjoy the show.
"We need entertainment in the county."
A golf course would have been a much more inconspicuous form of entertainment for Sterling Township, but would another golf course in the county consistently attract onlookers by the thousands who come each week to watch the show.
The Molers did not choose to construct a racetrack rather than another form of business just because they knew it was a huge opportunity in an area that's big on racing. They chose to construct a racetrack simply because race car driving is what they know best.
The Molers come from four generations of race car drivers, from grandfather Victor Ike to Kevin and Kim Moler's son, Joey.
Kim Moler has even relished her share of success on the track as a competitive driver.
"It's just what we do. We're a racing family," said Kevin Moler.
To the Molers, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives in the matter.
However, there are still many concerned citizens of the township who do not view the raceway in such a positive light as the Molers do.
"We want for Moler Raceway to be closed down," Rumsey said while speaking for the Sterling Township Concerned Citizens Committee.
Roy Weddle, a Sterling Township resident and real estate agent, said he spoke to an attorney and it would take a civil suit to shut down the racetrack at this point. A civil suit could be quite expensive for the residents of Sterling Township.
Racetrack protesters who attended Monday's township meeting looked for action to be taken immediately regarding the closing of the racetrack, with hopes that the petition with more than 200 signatures provided solid ground to stand on in their argument when stating their case in from of the Sterling Township Board of Trustees. After speaking with the township's attorney, Tom Grennan, Sterling Township Board of Trustees President Steve Metzger told the group of concerned residents there is most likely not much that can be done now that the raceway is up and running.
Members of the committee then brought up the issue of passing a noise ordinance.
"If it's not in the power of the (township) trustees, we petitioners want a noise ordinance," Rumsey said as she spoke for residents who want the raceway closed down.
The committee suggested a noise ordinance be put in place by the township trustees. However, a noise ordinance, if now adopted, would only apply to new establishments coming in.
The raceway would be considered "grandfathered in," according to Metzger.
"We can pass a noise ordinance and we can do it tonight. Whether it will have any effect on this issue, I don't know," said Metzger.
A noise ordinance, if adopted now, would prevent new "noisy" establishments from moving into the area, which may help some of the outraged Sterling Township to "rest easy" knowing their Friday nights will not be filled with further disturbances caused by excessive noise.
At the request of the committee, Metzger said he would look into a noise ordinance being drafted for adoption, tabling the matter until the next meeting to give time for an attorney to draft such an ordinance.
For the unhappy residents of Sterling Township, the raceway may be considered a nuisance, but for the Molers, it's like a dream come true. A dream they've spent their hard-earned money on and put forth countless hours of labor to make a reality.
"We did everything legally and we went through an attorney to make sure we were doing everything legally," said Kim Moler. "This is supposed to be America."
Kevin Moler, who spent time in the U.S. Marine Corps to protect a free country, felt no one should be able to stand in the way of what he wants to do on his private property, as long as he abides by the law. With no zoning in Sterling Township and no ordinance to limit noise at the time the raceway opened, the Molers felt they only did what they had the right to do by building the raceway.
"We needed something in the county to draw big names and to make people come. The local kids love the responsibility of working on the tracks and it gives them something good to do with their time," said Kim Moler.
With the law on their side, the Molers have tried not to worry about the many complaints rolling in to township trustees, but stressful thoughts are hard to avoid while there are people out there who are intent on seeing the raceway fail.
"We're told not to worry, but you really don't know what will happen. There are people giving false hopes that something can be done about it, but everything we did was legal," said Kim Moler. "We're trying to be as neighbor friendly as we can."
The Molers hope that nearby neighbors and other Sterling Township residents will become accustomed to Friday night's racing action on their property and the complaints of flying dust, noise and exhaust fumes will soon fade away. But Metzger felt the 200 plus people that signed the petition to have the raceway closed for good will push the issue until something is done.
"This issue is not going to die," said Metzger.
If you would like to contact the local paper in support of MRP, please visit the link below with e-mail addresses to the News Democrat.
molerracewaypar.noonhost.com/support-moler-raceway-park-and-the-moler-family-vt698.html
