After many, many years of being tenants of D & D Rentals, in the Smith, Lange, & Halley building, REDC has moved to the Big Sky Siding & Windows building. The new address is 609 South Central Avenue, and we are settled in our new spaces. We deeply thank Dick and Cory for allowing REDC to reside in their building for all that time.
February 2023 will forever be remembered as the time that the employees of Sidney Sugars were informed that the sugar beet processing facility would be closing. After nearly 100 years of relying on this industry to provide jobs, taxes, by-products and the best sugar, it will be no more.
REDC fielded many calls and questions on “What is the impact to the area?” “What are the reactions from the local front?” by television stations, newspapers, and radio stations. The one word that comes to my mind is “heartbreaking”. It’s heartbreaking for us, but mostly for the employees and their families. It’s heartbreaking for the growers who have solely relied on the successful harvest of sugar beets to keep their family farm.
REDC sprung immediately into action. We contacted economic colleagues across the state that have faced such job losses in their own communities: mines, saw mills, and coal fired power plants. These resources are on hand to assist in any way possible.
We contacted the Job Service to seek initiation of the Rapid Response teams, to evaluate how to assess the employee situation. Are there employees who will retire? Those who would like to be trained in a different profession? Those who need something else?
REDC initiated conversations with Miles Community and Dawson Community Colleges. These Deans are coming up with 4-5 training opportunities for those who may want training as welders, CDL drivers, etc. REDC contacted the Dept of Labor & Industry and the Economic Development Agency to see if there is immediate funding to potentially pay for the new training of the displaced employees.
The people of Richland County are a driven lot, however; we have endured too many losses of late: the closure of the Lewis & Clark coal plant, Sidney Sugars, and now potentially the Savage Coal Mine. Every. Single. Job. lost is devastating for this area, as we don’t have the population to absorb that loss as quickly as more populated areas.
REDC is doing our part to attain the much needed resources to support, assist and encourage those who have lost or are losing jobs in Richland County. We will continue to do our part to build and stabilize our economy to the best of our ability. In the meantime, my prayers continue to go out to everyone involved at this troubling time.
