Only a couple more days of school before Leon County kids get out for the holiday break... but many parents and other residents aren't taking a break from the controversy on a proposed biomass plant in Tallahassee.
A great deal of the controversy is about the location of the plant... which is set to be built in southwest Tallahassee... within a mile of four schools.
Parents, students and teachers of Sabal Palm Elementary welcomed guests to their auditorium Wednesday night... but instead of watching a festive play this holiday season, they're discussing a proposed biomass plant that's set to be built near Sabal Palm.
"Our kids are required to have 120 minutes of developmental play outside every week therefore we're very concerned of the health issue," says Sabal Palm Elementary School Principal Ann Johnson.
Superintendent Jackie Pons organized the meeting saying people need to understand the plant and what's happening.
"We always want to make sure that we provide a safe, caring environment. We're not involved in the permitting or deciding where facilities go, but we do have an informative role," says Pons.
Parents... some with kids in tow... listened to ten different perspectives on the biomass plant issue from the CEO of the biomass company who explained the safety measures of the plant, to a Sail High School science teacher who opposes it. Parents could also ask questions or make comments.
"Anytime a power plant generates power, it's stored somewhere and a potential for an explosion of some sort - is there any early warning that we have in place for that?" asks Moeub Lanh, a parent of a Sabal Palm student.
"We were clapping for those who told us the facts, told us the truth about it and not just sugar coat it - throwing out numbers and statistics - told us something that we could relate to," says Kimberly Owens, parent and Sabal Palm Program Specialist.
One parent says that the jobs biomass plant may provide is not worth the possible health impact on their kids.
At the end of the night, there weren't any new developments.
The focus was on sharing information and opinions.