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The state is moving in to Franklin to help people find new jobs now that their biggest employer is closing. Virginia Employment Commission workers are there along with a number of local, state and federal leaders trying to bring relief after that devastating announcement.
They will learn how to file their unemployment papers, get job training and help with job hunting. Franklin mayor Jim Council is in charge of tonight's meeting of the state job strike force. He knows everyone in Franklin needs help, even the mayor.
"I do and every other person does whether you are a restaurant or a gift shop we are all going to be tremendously impacted by this."
Mayor Council will be affected by the mill closing. When he isn't mayor he runs a financial services firm but if people don't have money to invest, his business will suffer. He wants to make sure mill workers that will soon be unemployed know they aren't going to be abandoned by the city when the paper mill is closed.
"What is there for them in the short term? Can they retrain? What can they do? Will they be given money to go back to school, which the answer is yes to that."
The workers that come here will hear about job training and unemployment benefits and jobs outside of the area but what they really want to know is who's coming and when are they bringing those new jobs
Molly Blythe worked at the mill for 35 years before retiring but even for her the past week has been a nightmare.
"It's a cloud of gloom. It may not affect you directly but everyone in this town is going to be affected by it."
City leaders say they have to stay focused on the positive, after all, this mill has boilers and power plants and other things that some business can use to relocate to Franklin cheaply. The key is convincing that business it makes sense to come here.
"I've even had one guy who said what if we started making tofu. I don't eat tofu but there's a lot who do and it's all imported but there is a lot of soybean production here what about putting up a plant that makes tofu here."
"What are their options so far as unemployment and severance packages and something to maintain them until they can find other employment?"
That's what Jim Council promises they will hear tonight. In addition, they will also hear about the future. Despite the crippling loss of International Paper, Jim council thinks Franklin will survive and get better.
They will learn how to file their unemployment papers, get job training and help with job hunting. Franklin mayor Jim Council is in charge of tonight's meeting of the state job strike force. He knows everyone in Franklin needs help, even the mayor.
"I do and every other person does whether you are a restaurant or a gift shop we are all going to be tremendously impacted by this."
Mayor Council will be affected by the mill closing. When he isn't mayor he runs a financial services firm but if people don't have money to invest, his business will suffer. He wants to make sure mill workers that will soon be unemployed know they aren't going to be abandoned by the city when the paper mill is closed.
"What is there for them in the short term? Can they retrain? What can they do? Will they be given money to go back to school, which the answer is yes to that."
The workers that come here will hear about job training and unemployment benefits and jobs outside of the area but what they really want to know is who's coming and when are they bringing those new jobs
Molly Blythe worked at the mill for 35 years before retiring but even for her the past week has been a nightmare.
"It's a cloud of gloom. It may not affect you directly but everyone in this town is going to be affected by it."
City leaders say they have to stay focused on the positive, after all, this mill has boilers and power plants and other things that some business can use to relocate to Franklin cheaply. The key is convincing that business it makes sense to come here.
"I've even had one guy who said what if we started making tofu. I don't eat tofu but there's a lot who do and it's all imported but there is a lot of soybean production here what about putting up a plant that makes tofu here."
"What are their options so far as unemployment and severance packages and something to maintain them until they can find other employment?"
That's what Jim Council promises they will hear tonight. In addition, they will also hear about the future. Despite the crippling loss of International Paper, Jim council thinks Franklin will survive and get better.
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