As the general manager of two local television stations, WPXT and WPME, which are located on Ledgeview Drive in Westbrook, I attended the meeting of the Planning Board on July 1 to express our very grave concerns about Pike Industries’ expansion plans.

When our stations decided to move out of Portland and invest millions of dollars in a new, Westbrook facility, installing state-of-the-art, sensitive electronic technology, we did so with the understanding and confidence that the city was seeking high-tech businesses, telecommunications and light manufacturing for this area.

Our concerns with Pike’s expansion plans not only include the basic questions about air pollution and traffic, noise and visual impacts, but also the fact that we count on reliable electricity from the nearby power sub-station. Obviously, we expected our building to sit on secure and stable ground so our equipment, which includes a 130-foot tower that provides numerous signals including cellular telephone service and is pinned into the ledge on which we sit, doesn’t malfunction or collapse. With any significant movement of the ledge under our building caused by the blasting at the Pike pit, the vibrations render our audio and video recordings useless and we must re-record our programming. The blasting can also vibrate our 12 satellite dishes out of alignment, causing us to lose reception of the satellite feeds that provide much of our programming.

We were excited to move our business to Westbrook eight years ago because the city’s vision was in keeping with what we were looking for in a home. Should Pike Industries go forward and expand their operations on the 69 acres adjacent to our operations, we will have to go elsewhere.

Businesses and residents in the area have reason to be concerned as Pike moves forward with its plans to gain “special exception” permits for “stone age” extraction in a beautiful, tranquil part of the city

Doug Finck

Gorham

General manager WPXT-TV

Westbrook