Since Covance announced it was considering locating in Chandler, much has been written - good and bad - about this drug development and research facility. As an elected official who will likely be voting on this issue, I believe it is necessary to remain open and to gather the critical, factual information about the company and this project before making a decision.

However, with so much public debate to date, I have a responsibility as mayor to share my thoughts. First, it is important to note that the council's role in this issue is that of land use. Coming before us is a request to rezone 38 acres of land on the Price Road industrial corridor owned by Covance. With the input of staff and the community, we are responsible for reviewing these parcels and designating the permitted uses. When a business selects a site, we determine whether the proposed use is allowed and its compatibility with Chandler's general plan. That review is part of the process currently under way.

Chandler has been a leader in high-wage job creation since the 1980s when the first hightech industries located here. Many of our newer residents may not remember the environmental concerns and neighborhood issues that were raised about these companies - not unlike what we hear regarding Covance today.

 

We worked with companies and with the community to ensure accurate, factual information was available to residents as they formed opinions about those businesses and their presence here. We developed a clear understanding of their regulatory and environmental responsibilities and their plan for compliance. We worked on ways to mitigate neighborhood impacts. The efforts of these companies and residents paid off as all turned out to be great corporate citizens - critical to our overall economic vitality.

 

The bioscience industry promises to be an important component in diversifying our economy, locally and statewide. Covance and the synergy they hope to create with other bioscience and biomedical companies offer significant potential for our future.

 

Certainly, the ethical concerns surrounding animals in the development and testing of new drugs has been at the center of the debate over whether Covance is right for Chandler.

Many of us have not focused on the issue of animal testing before Covance's announcement. Researching this issue over the past few months, I wish there were other alternatives, but I have learned that the federal government mandates animal testing prior to first in-human studies whether it's done here or overseas. Therefore, I look to the expertise of others who have more experience and knowledge in this area to guide me in my decision-making.

Opponents of the project have raised concerns about environmental and neighborhood impacts. We are taking these concerns seriously and are researching each allegation.

 

In the months ahead, it will be important for all to sort fact from fiction, fear from reality. I urge everyone to really examine every statement made by both sides to determine the truth. That is what I intend to do.