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Clarke will feel steel mill's impact, locals insist Clarke County officials and a state economic developer working on the ThyssenKrupp project dispute a study that says Clarke, Washington and other area rural counties will each see less than 2 percent of the money to be spent on the new $3.7 bilion steel plant. Dr. Keivan Deravi, an economics professor at Auburn University Montgomery, prepared the report for the Alabama Development Office. The Mobile Press Register reported some of Deravi's projections Saturday, including the offering that Mobile County would see the lion's share of the money spent, $5 out of every $6 spent. About 11 percent of the wages and expenses paid by the company would end up in Baldwin County. 2% impact estimate disputed The big kicker- at least for the rural counties surrounding the plant- is the proposal that Clarke, Monroe, Escambia and Washington will each realize less than 2 percent of the impact, far less than the huge boom that has been predicted and hoped for. The plant will be at Calvert, spanning the Mobile and Washington county line. Both Clarke and Washington county officials have counted on the $3.7 billion investment greatly impacting their economies. Deravi's numbers are said to rely heavily on commuter numbers, labor figures in the different counties and distances from the mill. Swann says numbers are low Linda Swann, assistant director of the Alabama Development Office, said Deravi always offers conservative projections. However, she said she believes the numbers are low, especially for Clarke and Washington counties. She has an unusual perspective on this part of the state because she has worked here. She helped Clarke County organize the Clarke County Development Foundation and economic development efforts a few years ago. Reached by phone Monday, a state holiday, as she worked on issues relating to ThyssenKrupp, she suggested that the impact on the two counties could easily double. Deravi's numbers indicate that more than 19,000 of the 24,000 construction workers expected over the three years it will take to build the mill will live in Mobile County. Baldwin County will get more than 2,500 construction workers while Clarke, Escambia, Monroe and Washington counties will see only between 280 and 460 construction workers. The mill itself and its subsidiaries will create about 7,000 permanent jobs. Mobile County will lasso over 5,500 of these and Baldwin will gain about 750. Clarke, Escambia, Monroe and Washington counties will only see between 82 and 134 permanent workers. Short drive a big benefit Swann suggested that Clarke County, and Jackson especially, should benefit because of the relatively short driving distance along four-laned Highway 43 between the county and the plant site. Jackson, at about 35 miles from the site, is as close or closer than some parts of Mobile. Actual driving time may be far less than having to deal with heavy Mobile traffic. That should make the area enticing not only to construction workers but to permanent workers who might opt to live in the area. Swann said residential plans need to be developed to lure both temporary construction workers as well as full-time residents who will have permanent jobs. Says Clarke is prepared She also credited Clarke County's economic development organization and said the county has prepared well for what might come its way. Debra Bolen, executive director of the Clarke County Economic Development Partnership, also thinks the county will benefit more from ThyssenKrupp than Deravi's report indicates. Still, she said the report may be a good motivator for local promoters and should serve as an indicator that the county shouldn't just assume that it would benefit from ThyssenKrupp. Task force, marketing plan "We have created a task force to work on ThyssenKrupp related issues and are developing a marketing plan for the county," Bolen said. The task force consists of Bolen and representatives from Twin Rivers Economic Development Partnership, the Clarke County Development Foundation, all of the mayors, two county commissioners and utility representatives from Clarke-Mobile Gas, Clarke- Washington Electric Cooperative and Alabama Power. Sullivan-St. Clair Advertising of Mobile is developing the marketing plan with local governments contributing a prorated share of the $20,000 cost. Swann said service industries, both for the construction phase of the project as well as to service the plant once it is running, will likely look at Jackson and the Highway 43 corridor. Both Jackson Mayor Richard Long and Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day believe the county can and will benefit from ThyssenKrupp. Both mayors said preparation and readiness are important keys. Long cited Jackson's good water system and industrial sites. He said a comprehensive plan is being developed for the city, too. Looking for long term benefits "We are looking at long term and quality of life issues," Long said. He said he knew the city could benefit during the construction phase of the project but that he wanted permanent residents and business growth too. Long said he, Debra Bolen and County Commissioner Rhonel Rhone met with Mobile Mayor Sam Jones last week and Jones was impressed and supportive of what Clarke County can offer. Day echoed the need for longterm development. He said local folks should not rush into anything but should be deliberate and sure of what they are doing. "This is a marathon. The first runner out the gate doesn't usually win," he said. He said rail is going to be an important asset and noted available rail spurs in Thomasville and to the north and south of the city. He said already several construction companies have inquired about office space in Thomasville, despite the fact that the city is 60 to 65 miles away from the plant site. Regarding the Deravi report, Day said, "Nothing has ever fallen out of the sky or come easy for Clarke County. We have had to work and fight for everything we have. We competed with Mobile for LP [Louisiana-Pacific] and won and we will have to compete for what we get from ThyssenKrupp, too." Good attitudes help Swann referenced that attitude in her compliments of Clarke County and reasserted her belief that the county will profit from the steel plant. She said ADO would help the county and others in the region in any way possible.
"I think this is going to do for the economy of southwest Alabama what Mercedes-Benz did for the Tuscaloosa area and what the other automobile plants did for other areas of the state," Swann predicted.
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