Perfect solution or perfect storm
Perfect solution or perfect storm
By ALLAN TINKER
Two sides seemed to be at odds with the same set of information at the recent meeting at city hall in McClusky. Rick Downs, ATechBuilder Corporation CEO and founder, trying to offer the town one of several planned sites for building homes for current and future needs, had brought former Polar Ware owner Walter Vollrath into the equation. Voll-rath and Downs hoped to offer assurance of a plan for the now-vacant facility south of the city.
The plan seems to offer hope at an opportune time in history, one that could be taken advantage of with proper guidelines and become a success. Or it could be bypassed or delayed until the time is no longer right. Too many late projects fail, often simply because they were “too late.”
Those who are fearful of failure, or success, seem hesitant to support a project so far removed from ‘ordinary business’ in a small community.
Caught in the middle and present to see what might develop as employment opportunities were people formerly employed by Polar Ware. They are now left to find work out of town or to move out of the area. Some had found temporary work but commuting was impacting the take-home wages they could earn.
Also on hand were those from the town and immediate area who had skills and/or were willing to learn new ones in order to be employed, known as job development.
Also on hand were members of the McClusky Job Development Authority: Roberta Hunt, Linda Bowers, Theresa Jorgenson and Jordan Miller.
Also on hand were former Sheridan County Economic Devel-opment Corporation member Dar-win Engel and McClusky City and private practice Attorney Walter Lipp. Engel also serves on Lewis and Clark RDC board for small cities/Sheridan County. Both have been involved in past projects for the community, notably Kirschmann Manufacturing and Polar Ware.
