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Citizens rally around McKnight

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Coweta County Recreation Director Carl McKnight thought he knew how much his father was respected in the community, but this week has almost left him speechless.

“It’s just been overwhelming. I didn’t know Daddy had so many friends.”

McKnight was talking about the hundreds of residents who have taken time out of their busy days to sign a petition to the EPA.

McKnight’s father, Paul McKnight Jr., was recently levied with a $1.7 million fine by the EPA for cleanup of hazardous chemicals on his cotton warehouse property near downtown Senoia.

The McKnights were stunned when a federal court ruled they would be liable for the cleanup after being told for years that they had no liability in the case.

McKnight said the case started in 1996 when his dad rented space in one of the warehouses to Deryl Parker. However, McKnight did not know that Parker was storing paint and chemicals in giant drums in the warehouse.

After someone complained to the EPA about a chemical smell coming from the site, the government got involved in the case.

McKnight said officials came in and cleaned up the site, but told his dad the cost for the procedure would be paid through the federal government’s Superfund program.

In the last three years, McKnight has received letters from the EPA indicating he might have to pay a fine, but was stunned in March when the court slapped a lean on his property and set the fine at nearly $1.7 million.

EPA officials contacted Parker but are not holding him liable in the case.

Since word leaked out about the verdict, residents have asked the McKnight family how they could help them.

This week, a petition drive started to try and get 15,000 signatures to present to EPA.

“We want to show that this type of ruling is wrong,” McKnight said.

The recreation director said that he’s personally getting 50-60 signatures a day and is just “humbled” at the outpouring of support.

“People are telling me stories about Daddy that I never heard, about how he helped them out. It’s almost like a funeral,” he said.

Residents who want to sign the petition this week can head to one of these locations:

• Hutchinson’s Hardware in Senoia.

• Buggy Shop Museum in Senoia.

• Lazy Daisy Flower Shop in Senoia.

• Sharpsburg Tire in Sharpsburg.

• Odom’s Lawnmower Repair in Turin.