Several dignitaries came to town Friday to celebrate the opening of the biofuel refinery in Vonore. It was a historic moment for Vonore and the country. That is cutting-edge technology right here in our own county, and all the world is watching to see what happens there.

The county also received some possible good news on the job front this week.

The county's unemployment rate came down one more percentage point. That means a few more people are working. A 15.7 percent unemployment rate is way too high, and there are probably even more people than that out of work, since the numbers only include those who file for unemployment. But, at least it is better than the 18.6 percent rate we had last summer. It has been a slow come back, and we still have a long way to go. But there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.

Thursday night the County Commission approved a resolution that will give a company the option to buy 25 acres in the Niles Ferry Industrial Park. The aluminum smelting plant would employ 60-80 people. We should know within the next six months, if they will definitely come to Monroe County.
And, there's another company considering a move to Monroe County that would bring another 50 jobs. With MasterCraft buying HydraSports Boats, the company plans to be add up to 90 more jobs. And, we've seen some movement over at the old Goody's store in the last week. Store officials say they will be opening in March, although they have yet to confirm they have signed a lease on the building.

If all goes well, just those few prospects could bring nearly 200 jobs to Monroe County. That is some good news for all the families who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, the power turned on, and all the other day-to-day expenses that add up.

I commend the County Commission for finally coming up with a tax incentive policy. I'm not for giving businesses a free ride, but in order to be competitive we have to offer them something. We desperately need the jobs and the money that flows into our economy from those jobs.

But, it's a two-way street. If we get the industries here, we have to show them we have people who want to work, who can pass a drug test, who will show up for work on time, who will do their jobs and if needed learn new skills to keep their jobs. Unfortunately, sometimes it's hard for industries to find people that meet those criteria.

I'm hoping all the pieces of the puzzle will come together and we can look forward to a brighter, more productive future.

editor@advocateanddemocrat.com | 337-7101