IRONTON — Chrysler wants to eliminate 47 dealerships in Ohio and an Ironton dealer that has been in business for 51 years could be on the cut list.

Harmon Motor Sales is the local Chrysler dealer that could be a casualty of the cutbacks. Overall, the automaker wants to eliminate 789 of its 3,200 U.S. dealerships.

Local Chrysler owner Frank Harmon said he was just notified Thursday afternoon and didn’t know what he would do at this time.

“When they cut your arm off, what do you do?” he said. Harmon’s is also a Dodge and Jeep dealership, which are also affected by this announcement.

Harmon Motor Sales employs approximately 15 people, many of whom now face an uncertain future.

“What can I tell my employees?” Harmon said, adding that he was frustrated with the way the situation is being handled.

Dealers will be able to appeal the decisions that are likely to cause devastating affects in communities across the country as thousands of jobs are lost.

A number of other Ohio small towns could be losing dealerships including Bowling Green, Circleville and Eaton.

Chrysler also wants to close a dealership in the Toledo suburb of Perrysburg where the automaker has a plant that makes steering columns and other parts.

Proposed closings in the northeast part of the state would include dealerships in Elyria, Wadsworth, Parma and Beachwood.

Locally, Bill Spurlock Dodge in Huntington, W.Va., is listed as a dealership that Chrysler has opted to close. Crown Dodge in Nitro is also on the list.