At Tuesday's commissioners meeting, residents Lester Smiley and Darryl Ferguson said they were very disturbed by the way things were being handled.
Smiley said he and others tried to attend a press conference called by Bioenergy International Aug.1, but were turned away by security.
He said he feels things have "been handled poorly from day one" regarding the plant. He said officials from Bioenergy said repeatedly that local workers would be employed during the construction of the plant as well as being hired at the plant once it becomes operational. Smiley said there are very few local people working at the site.
"The Mexicans and the out-of-state construction companies made out good, but not the people right here in Clearfield County," Smiley said.
The commissioners said they agree that they would have liked to have seen more local people hired for the construction work, but now that the interview process is expected to begin soon, the commissioners are encouraging Bioenergy to focus on hiring Clearfield County residents.
Ferguson said he would like to see an investigation into what happened with the press conference.
Commissioner Mark McCracken said the commissioners received an e-mail announcing a "press event" at the Bionol site. He said the commissioners contacted officials at Bioenergy and asked if they could announce the "press event" at their meeting the week before the event was to take place.
McCracken said there was a miscommunication as to whether the event was to be open to the public. He and fellow Commissioners Joan Robinson-McMillen and John Sobel said they have all been contacted by many other residents who were turned away from the meeting. They also said officials from Bioenergy offered to meet with Ferguson and Smiley, but Smiley did not want to meet with them.
Smiley said he would rather see a "town-hall" type meeting where resident can ask questions.
McCracken said the commissioners may look at having a project labor agreement in place for any future projects.
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