Staff Report
MONTGOMERY, Alabama (October 7, 2013) – Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey recently mobilized staff to North Alabama to facilitate meetings with city, county, and business leaders about the imminent closure of the Courtland International Paper mill.
The purpose of the meetings was to foster communication between local and state entities, assess the economic impact, and aid in the ongoing coordinated state response to the mill closure by the Office of the Governor, Department of Commerce, Department of Labor, Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), and Department of Post-Secondary Education
“Elected leaders can learn a great deal by listening. At this point, we need to gather the facts from those who know best how the closure will impact the area and devise a plan moving forward,” said Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey.
“There is no doubt the closure of the mill will leave a great void in the economic landscape of the area, but I am hopeful that through our positive and effective conversations with community leadership, and coordination on a state level, we can identify new business investments for the area and job opportunities for workers in Lawrence County and the surrounding area,” Ivey said.
Courtland Mayor Clarence Logston, Lawrence County Commissioner Mose Jones, Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Diane Scanland, and Industrial Development Board Executive Director Tony Stockton were among those involved in meetings with the Lieutenant Governor’s staff.
The closure will affect 1,100 mill employees as well as countless loggers, truckers, local businesses and land owners in the area.
International Paper plans to complete the mill shutdown by the end of the first quarter of 2014.
