A resident of Ninth Street in Ironton expressed her concerns, both past and present, with the construction of the Holiday Inn and Suites, which is part of Phase I of the Gateway Project.

“The reason I am here is to bring to the city and the city residents some of my complaints and some of my problems that I have experienced,” Rosetta Roberts said. “I will get everything out I need to get out before I leave this room.”

The first complaint, Roberts said, is that property owners on Ninth Street were not notified about the development of the hotel or restaurant.

“The only information we got about there being a project on Ninth Street was this piece of paper,” Roberts said while showing an 8 and half by 11 inch piece of paper to council, “that was stuck in my storm door.”

Roberts also said Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Dr. Bill Dingus and local contractor Dave Milem told her the hotel would not be in front of her home.

“I was told it wasn’t going to be there,” Roberts said. “Then when I saw the footers being poured, regardless of me being a female, I know you don’t need a footer for a parking lot.”

Roberts then questioned Ironton Mayor Rich Blankenship’s open-door policy. She said upon arriving at the mayor’s office and requesting to see a copy of the hotel plans she was told it was unavailable.

“I went down there to ask him to see the hotel plan,” she said. “It is my understanding that citizens have a right to look at the plan; it should be there for public viewing.”

Roberts said council clerk and mayor’s secretary Marta Leach told her the plan was unavailable because it was in Dingus’ possession. Roberts said she then notified Leach she was going to sit in the office until she could be shown something about the plan for the hotel.

After conferring with Blankenship, Roberts said, Leach told her the mayor requested she submit her request in writing.

“I am the type of person who will do what I’m told to do,” Roberts said. “So I sat down and wrote out a request to see the plan. I’ve never had to write out a request to see public information.”

Blankenship addressed Roberts’ concerns later in the meeting and said she did come to his office and he did speak with her on that day.

“I was very unclear about what she was requesting,” Blankenship said. “I can be honest in saying I don’t have a set and the city doesn’t have a set of plans for the Holiday Inn and we’ve never had a set. I could not give her a set of plans because I do not have them.”

Roberts said Blankenship, after receiving the written request, told her he would have to talk to an attorney before making the plans available for viewing. The day after her visit, Roberts said, Leach called and notified her the mayor had copies of the papers she needed to see.

“I’m wondering how (Blankenship knows) what I need,” Roberts said. “I wanted to see the plan of the hotel. I was never, ever allowed to see those plans.”

Blankenship said he asked Roberts to write down specifics because he was unclear about what Roberts was requesting.

Vice mayor Kevin Waldo asked Roberts if she obtained the information offered to her, to which she replied she did not and then asked Waldo to not “cross-examine” her after Waldo admitted to representing parties affiliated with the hotel in a previous hearing involving Roberts.

“I’m not here to debate,” Roberts said. “I only want the citizens to know what is exactly taking place. Everybody can’t be satisfied, I understand that, but I’m an older woman and shouldn’t have to be mistreated either.”

Roberts said she was unable to get legal representation and every attorney she contacted either told her it was a conflict of interest or did not return her phone call.

Other complaints expressed by Roberts were floodlights shining in her bedroom overnight, the dumping of gravel that damaged her Lexus and two commercial Dumpsters being close to her front door.

“The City of Ironton, I called them before I came here, and they said that they didn’t have any ordinances about commercial Dumpsters in a residential area,” Roberts said. “In that Dumpster will be dirty sanitary napkins, diapers, catheters, diabetic syringes and rotten food. That Dumpster is less than 20 feet from my front door. How can you justify putting a commercial Dumpster right in the front of my property and thinking that it’s all right?”

Blankenship said the Dumpsters have lids, are behind gates and will be picked up three times a week.

Roberts said she would come to another council meeting to finish telling the city and its residents the story because she feels the “citizens are the only ones who can help at this point.”

“I’ve done everything else I can possibly do,” she said. “Thank you for your time.”