TO THE PROPOSED FOXCONN
OPERATION IN WISCONSIN.
THE COMPANY PUT OUT A STATEMENT
THAT LOUIS WOO, THE EXECUTIVE
WHO LED MUCH OF THE PROJECT, IS
STEPPING DOWN FOR PERSONAL
REASONS.
IT'S JUST THE LATEST GOMENT DEVELOPMENT
THAT HAS OFFICIALS WONDERING IF
FOXCONN WILL DELIVER 13,000 JOBS
TO WILLS.
IT'S NOT JUST OFFICIALS.
HOMEOWNERS WHO LOST THEIR
PROPERTY ARE NOT HAPPY EITHER.
JOINING US NOW IS WISCONSIN
PUBLIC RADIO'S CORRINNE HEES, HESS,
WHO HAS NEW REPORTING ON THE
TOPIC.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW, WHO ARE THESE HOMEOWNERS
THAT SOLD THEIR LAND AWAY TO
MAKE WAY FOR FOXCONN AND WHY ARE
THEY NOT HAPPY NOW?
>> WELL, FROM THE BEGINNING OF
THE PROJECT, MOUNT PLEASANT SAID
THAT THEY WOULD ACQUIRE ALL OF
THIS PROPERTY FOR FOXCONN.
IT'S ABOUT 3,000 ACRES.
SO WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY BEGAN
SENDING LETTERS TO HOMEOWNERS
LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEIR
PROPERTY WOULD BE TAKEN THROUGH
A PROCESS CALLED EMINENT DOMAIN.
AND SOME OF THESE HOMEOWNERS
HAVE REALIZED THAT THE ROAD
PROJECTS THAT THEY WERE TOLD
ABOUT ARE NOT HAPPENING.
AND SO THEY'RE PRETTY UPSET.
>> NOW, FOR THE PEOPLE -- THERE
ARE STILL PEOPLE STAYING THAT
HAVE REFUSED TO MOVE.
DO THEY WANT A BETTER DEAL TO
MOVE OUT OR ARE THEY LOOKING TO
STAY THERE PERMANENTLY?
>> THERE IS A WOMAN WHO HAS
REFUSED TO MOVE, KIM MAHONEY.
SHE HAS SINCE BEEN TOLD THEY
DON'T WANT HER PROPERTY ANYMORE.
THERE IS ANOTHER COUPLE, KATHY
AND RODNEY JENSEN.
THEIR PROPERTY, THEY WERE TOLD
THAT THE VILLAGE WANTED .13
ACRES FOR A ROAD PROJECT, BUT
THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE ALL
THREE ACRES OF THE PROPERTY.
THEY DID NOT MOVE.
THE VILLAGE HAS SINCE BOUGHT
THEIR LAND AND THEY'RE IN A
FEDERAL LAWSUIT RIGHT NOW.
>> SO ARE THERE PEOPLE THAT
ACTUALLY WANT TO GO BACK THERE
OR IS THIS ABOUT MONEY AT THIS
POINT?
>> WELL, THE THING IS IS THAT
THEY CAN'T GO BACK.
ALL OF THESE HOMES HAVE BEEN
BULLDOZED.
SO THERE'S NOTHING TO GO BACK
TO.
AND IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT MONEY.
THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE TALKED TO
ARE PRETTY HAPPY WITH WHAT
THEY'VE GOTTEN.
THEY GOT WELL ABOVE THE ASSESSED
VALUE OF THEIR HOMES.
IT'S MORE ABOUT HOW THE VIL
LAINLVILLAGEWENT ABOUT ACQUIRING THE
PROPERTY AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE
THEY WERE TOLD IN RELATION TO
WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE.
>> DO YOU GET A SENSE THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNDER TONY EVERS IS HANDLING
THIS ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN WHEN
SCOTT WALKER WAS IN CHARGE?
>> NO.
I REALLY DON'T.
I REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION.
THEY REALLY DID NOT TALK TO ME
AT ALL.
I WAS GIVEN DOCUMENTS UNDER THE
OPEN RECORDS LAW.
BUT THEY DID NOT AGREE TO ANY
INTERVIEWS.
>> AND WILL ANY THESE
CONNECTOR ROADS EVER GET BUILT
OR WILL DOT BE WAITING UNTIL
FOXCONN ACTUALLY STARTS
MANUFACTURING SOMETHING?
>> YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME ROAD
WORK BEING DONE, BUT DEFINITELY
NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT WAS
ORIGINALLY PLANNED.
>> SO IS THE END RESULT OF THIS
MOSTLY JUST ILL WILL BETWEEN THE
PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE AND THE
VILLAGE THAT WENT ABOUT WORKING
FOR FOXCONN AND THE STATE?
>> UNFORTUNATELY, YES.
THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO AND
OTHERS, THEY'VE BEEN PACKING
THESE VILLAGE MEETINGS AND THERE
IS A LOT OF ILL WILL DOWN THERE
RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT GETS
REPAIRED.
>> ALL RIGHT.