Gov.

Thursday, March 09, 2000

Gov. Bob Taft’s Wednesday visit to Ironton brought promises of about 200 manufacturing-related jobs and hope for local business leaders and government officials.

"The original intent of this visit was to make a positive announcement for the city," Ironton City Council chairman Jim Tordiff said. "The governor has told us that there are still things that need to be worked out, but he also has expressed every confidence to us that those issues will be resolved and there will be a job announcement soon. We all appreciate the governor’s visit and his pledge of continued support to the city and the county."

At a press conference following Taft’s meeting with local officials, the promise of jobs came again.

"We do have an interested party for (the Cabletron) building," Taft said. "We had hoped to announce good news today, but there are still several issues that need to be worked out. However, I have every confidence that these issues will be resolved and that we will have some good news, hopefully within a month."

Taft said he could not comment further on the issue, due to privacy concerns in the business sector.

Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary said Taft’s visit was a boost for not only business and government officials, but the entire city and county as well.

"It is certainly helpful to meet with the governor and his staff and to exchange ideas, ask questions and work out possible solutions to the industrial recruitment issues facing the city," Cleary said. "We remain hopeful that industry and jobs will locate in the city soon."

The efforts to market Ironton and Lawrence County have been made somewhat easier through incentive packages provided by the state, but the available facilities and trained workers are a prime incentive themselves, Taft said.

"This is a highly marketable area with many strengths," Taft said. "This building is an excellent facility, probably one of the best available in the state."

Coupled with availability of a skilled workforce and community business, training and education partners who are all focused on the industrial recruitment efforts, Taft said the area could expect results sooner rather than later.

"(Lawrence County) has a skilled, trained workforce with strong work ethics and we are marketing that strength as well as any locations that are available," he said.

During a recent visit to Japan, Taft said he spent a great deal of time marketing that workforce to foreign companies’ chief executive officers.

Taft also pledged the continued support of the state and his staff members in the marketing and recruitment efforts.

"There are several interested potential industries and we will continue to actively pursue those possibilities," Taft said.

In addition to funding the marketing analysis, the state will also provide funds for marketing once the analysis is completed. The state also will aid in any way possible with incentive packages for interested businesses, he said.

Taft’s visit shows tangible progress in the local marketing efforts, Cleary added.

"I feel like the building is now being actively marketed and that the entire area is being actively marketed," Cleary said. "Good news is on the way and an economic resurgence will begin – it has begun."