This column is in response to a June 21 Recorder article concerning “monster truck” shows at our fairgrounds [“Monster Truck Show to proceed at Franklin County Fairgrounds despite noise complaints”].

After months of working with the Franklin County Fairgrounds board of directors, in particular Mike Nelson, to try to reach common ground on what are appropriate events in such a tightly situated neighborhood, it occurs to me that the concerns of neighbors’ health and peace do not matter to city officials. In particular the Board of License Commissioners.

The first meeting with the license board was for both the diesel and monster truck shows on June 29 and 30 of this year. Many neighbors were present to voice their concerns about not only the roaring noise but the exhaust fumes. Really stinky and black (diesel) emissions appeared to be considered exciting by the promoter. The members of the commission seemed concerned and listened to many of us speak at this meeting, as well as asking many questions about the trucks.

The recent article indicated that the fuel for monster trucks, whose websites brag about the ethanol and gasoline mixture being safe, is a complete fabrication. Not true at all. In fact, it burns faster and hotter, requiring more of it to run these giant vehicles. Ethanol does reduce, by 40%, the life cycle of the emissions per Argonne National Laboratory. Tell that to the abutters whose children cannot play outside for the weekend due to the fumes. Add gasoline to ethanol and gasoline is gasoline. Carbon emissions have been proven to be a huge factor in the climate crisis we are currently experiencing.

These trucks, we were told by the promoter at the meeting, are “just a truck one drives on the road.” Minutes later, the same gentleman informed us, “many will be brought in on flatbeds as they’re too fancy and costly to drive on the road.” Which is it, I wondered? Whatever the license commissioners need to hear to grant a license or permit, it would appear.

If they took the time to check the websites of these events, read and researched the 27 letters they received with legitimate facts about the health issues discovered by residents, they would also learn that headphones are recommended as the noise is dangerous to the hearing of the attendees. Good to know these noise canceling headphones are sold at the venue. Yay!!! How about several hundred more for the neighborhood? Though nobody should need to wear headphones inside their homes with windows shut and they do!

I invite the five members of the License Commission to bring their lawn chairs and sit near the fairgrounds, for the entire show, so they can rethink their decision next year. They’ll have good hard evidence then.

I will add here, some concessions were made at these meetings, in good faith, to lessen the impact of the noise and I appreciated that. Mike Nelson was trying to please everyone, but he can’t until he forbids any more events like these to take place at the fairgrounds. His board appears so dug in one would think they were driving the trucks themselves. They attended meetings as well as the attorney for the fairgrounds. The board members sat angrily with arms crossed and acted and spoke as if the neighbors were trying to shut down the fairgrounds.

We love it. That is simply not the case.

These board meetings, I was told at the meeting on March 18, must be recorded by law. Three subsequent meetings concerning monster and diesel trucks were not recorded by the city. The fairgrounds did record the meetings. Good to know we have official proof of the travesty that occurred.

I do wonder what is driving these type of events to be held in such a small space? Research has proven and the license commissioners are aware that 99% of truck events are held on grounds two times, three times and four times larger than the 29 acres we have to work with. Nor is there anything agricultural or cultural about monster and diesel trucks (see the Franklin County Fairgrounds website).

The photo and description for the Recorder article was from last year’s Overdrive Monster Truck Show at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. That show was followed by a dressing down by the licensing board, letting the Fairgrounds Board know a show like that will never happen again here. The number of phone calls to the police proved problematic.

Four weeks ago, a similar monster truck show in Maine resulted in a monster truck flying too high, bringing down power lines onto the crowd and sending several people to the hospital. Not to mention destroying the venue’s power supply. The police may want an extra person answering phones on June 29 and 30 as more calls will be coming.

I’m happy to volunteer to answer the calls and console the abutters, just call me.

Ellen Villani lives in Greenfield.