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Editor's Notes
Even with that amount of an impact, we are still looking at significant numbers if you take into consideration the 30,000 construction workers who will move into the area. I am under no illusion that all of these people will live in Jackson or Washington County. I am also not under the illusion that many of them will stay here after the plant is completed in three years. But, I am convinced that we will see an impact on the area in the number of jobs created by the retail, food service and supplier businesses that are bound to spring up from north Mobile County northward to Clarke County. I also believe there will be a need to expand our school systems to accommodate the influx of new students who will be here for the next three years. Many of those construction workers will bring their families with them and will require housing, food, education and medical services, just to name a few. It's hard to imagine such a rural area as this one becoming more economically sound. There are many who just can't believe it will happen. I believe it can and will. Jackson is already seeing some growth with new businesses locating here, it seems almost monthly. Walgreens is on its way to completion, a new trucking company is preparing its site for construction to begin and other businesses recently announced their intentions to locate here. I by no means think Jackson will develop into a large city like Mobile, but I do feel we can see some substantial growth, especially with the infrastructure we already have in place. We are able to offer sewer and water service to many areas of the city and boast an existing industrial park as well as a new developing one. Hopefully Washington County can benefit economically from ThyssenKrupp as well. The county is currently struggling with money issues and needs a boost. Talking with Probate Judge Charles Singleton, Wednesday, he said there are a lot of challenges facing the county, some which may not have easy solutions, but are, nevertheless, good challenges to have. I expect to see McIntosh, Chatom and perhaps even Millry experience some type of growth from the the new mill. People will be searching for places to rent and to park mobile homes and travel trailers. I have heard talk that land is currently a hot commodity in Washington County. I also have noticed some clearing of property in several areas. Although I don't know for certain that it is related to this, I am pretty sure some of it is.
Alabama has been on the move economically for the past few years and it's about time the southwest part of the state got its share. The impact study cited in an area daily newspaper last week takes me back to an earlier column I wrote which addressed the issue of negativity. As long as there are negative thinkers out there we will have "studies" such as this one surfacing to put a back spin on what should be consideredr to be a positive situation.
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