Controversy brewing at Manteno Oktoberfest over Chinese company's sponsorship

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Some residents and vendors are planning to boycott Manteno's Oktoberfest celebration, which starts Thursday, over the sponsorship by Gotion, the Chinese electric vehicle battery maker whose plans for a plant in the village are being challenged by citizens in court.

Kimberly Thompson, who owns Kimberly's Garden Harvest, was supposed to be one of the vendors at Manteno's Oktoberfest. She makes homemade pickles, salsas and jams.

When she learned of the Chinese company's involvement, though, she backed out.

“We just couldn't go through with it with our conscience, we just could not align ourself with that,” Thompson said.

She said other small business owners feel as though they’re “between a rock and hard place” with regard to their involvement in the festival.

“They're very on edge, they really are,” she said. “They don't know what's going to happen with this whole situation. They don't know if they're going to be targeted later on, if they're going to lose business over this. What are going to be the ramifications for this?

“You want to lose that money up front? Or are you going to lose a lot of money down the road because people are going to boycott you.”

Thompson said she lost her $200 vendor fee. The festival host, the Manteno Chamber of Commerce, said the fee was non-refundable.

Annette LaMore is a lifelong resident of Manteno and a former member of the village board. She’s with Concerned Citizens of Manteno, which is fighting the plant in court.

Although LaMore told WBBM she’s planning to attend Oktoberfest, she stressed that her decision was based on a desire to see friends — not to support Gotion. Others need to make up their own minds, LaMore said.

She added that she’s not happy with the Chamber of Commerce for making the company a member and allowing the sponsorship. It’s normally $10,000 for the lead sponsorship, she said. Gotion paid $50,000 to be the main sponsor.

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