Bracing for the aftershock: State leaders call special meeting to ponder local options
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State and local officials met last night to address those issues and to make the public aware of the steps being taken to alleviate at least some of the problems that will come to the fore in the coming months.
The state was quick to react, sending Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber and Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Jim Neeley to assure local leaders the state is well aware of the problem and plans to do whatever it takes to help Warren and surrounding counties recover from what all agree is a devastating economic blow.
Also at the meeting were state Sen. Jerry Cooper and state Reps. Judd Matheny and Charles Curtiss. Cooper, after the group had met with local leaders, began public comments by recognizing the gravity of the situation.
“We really hate to be here,” Cooper said. “This is one of the worst financial impacts we’ve had in this area, and not only financial but people wise. I can’t imagine being one of those folks when they first heard it was going to close.”
Cooper also indicated he and his colleagues realize how far-reaching the impact will be.
“You know, it’s not just 1,300 folks,” Cooper said, “It’s probably going to be more like 2,000. We have a lot of employers whose biggest customer is Carrier Corporation.”
Cooper went on to say state commissioners Neeley and Kisber had volunteered, with no urging from him, to come to Warren County and address the concerns of residents and local leaders, and that the pair had years of experience dealing with these kinds of situations.
Kisber indicated the state’s support went all the way to the top.
“Governor Bredesen is very concerned with the events of Monday,” Kisber said. “He, commissioner Neeley and I were together Monday afternoon just after the news had been received, and we made the commitment at that time that we were coming down here and we were going to start to work today on what we need to do in working with the local community and local leadership.”
Kisber said it was time to look beyond the closing and work to deal with the consequences.
“The fact of the situation is the decision has been made,” he said. “It’s been announced, and we know there’s no turning back. So from our perspective, what’s most important is we get down to business on the business of finding new jobs, and beginning the effort of trying to replace what’s going to be lost here when the plant shuts down next year.”
Kisber suggested that local leadership, the mayors and county executive, get together and form a transition group, along with the Industrial Development Board, to address the situation on a local level, with both his and Commissioner Neeley’s departments providing information and support.
Neeley said his department was already working on a plan of attack.
“There’s a number of things we’re going to do,” Neeley said. “Number one, we’re going to apply for an emergency grant for the employees in this plant that will help them during this transition period.”
Neeley said the grant could provide services as varied as transportation to training sessions and child care if needed.
Also, in answer to a question from County Commissioner Bill Zechman, Neeley said the county should be able to get some federal money under the NAFTA program since a good portion of the jobs will be going to the Monterrey, Mexico plant.
“Another thing we want to do is analyze this workforce to see exactly what type of employees we’ve got here, what they’re qualified to do. We know this is a good workforce. Carrier says this is a good workforce. We want to be able to market that,” Neeley said.
In addition to training and education, Neeley said it is important to support local businesses and encouraged leaders to do so. Neeley also encouraged all the counties affected to cooperate.
“This is not the time to point fingers,” he said. “We are going to have to work together to get through this.”