MURPHY: CITY, EMPLOYEES MUST STAY POSITIVE
Friday, February 17th, 2006 -- 11:38 AM
Neillsville?s Mayor admits the city has seen better days, but she?s asking residents ? and Fleetguard employees ? to remain optimistic in the wake of the Nashville-based company?s announcement that they plan to phase out the facility beginning in May. The plant employs about 200 area residents.
"It is a blow when you hear 200 employees are going to be without jobs," said Neillsville mayor Diane Murphy on Thursday.
Like virtually everyone else in the area, Murphy has relatives and friends working at the Muffler Plant. She said employees had approached her over the past few weeks saying they were increasingly worried the plant?s closing may be imminent.
"(The employees) are upset. That first time was a real blow to them," Murphy said. "I think they felt they were on shaky ground anyway, for the last couple of years."
"You can offer jobs at other plant locations, but their roots are here, their families are here. We want them to stay here and get something going," Murphy said.
Murphy is optimistic about the city?s chances of finding an employer to fill the void. While Fleetguard has decided to pull all of their equipment from the facility, company officials haven?t ruled out expanding the profitable Filter Plant into the nearby Muffler plant.
"The Filter Plant is very profitable and they would like to grow the filter part in Neillsville and try to have Neillsville as their main location for filtration," Murphy says.
"We just need to stay positive."
Murphy has been in contact with 3D Strategies, an Eau Claire-based firm hired to market the city after Fleetguard oringinally announced plans to close the facility in 2003.
They've received ?nibbles? from would-be employers. Murphy is hopeful to get a ?foot in the door? of some especially promising leads.
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