Chillicothe — The region’s Congressman answered questions in the Chamber’s second quarter “Advocacy in Action Breakfast” Monday.
Freshman U.S. Representative for Ohio David Taylor spoke knowledgeably and confidently to an audience of 19 in an event sponsored by the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce. Chamber CEO Mike Throne emceed the hour-and-a-half event at First Presbyterian Church.
Of course, Taylor addressed Tuesday’s announced shutdown of Chillicothe’s paper mill…and Friday’s promised delay of that to the end of this year.
He said he is working closely with U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, who got the reprieve from the private equity firm H.I.G., which owns the Pixelle plant.
Taylor said he suspected that the shutdown was the plan when H.I.G. bought Pixelle three years ago, since they have not made any upgrades to the Chillicothe mill. He said “a million issues” would come up if an inspector walked through.
He said H.I.G. has other factories in Ohio where they need to be cooperative with state government, and the state probably has the most leverage over H.I.G. – whether with the proverbial carrot, or stick.
Taylor said “it would not be unlikely” to find a new mill operator who knows how to operate it at a profit. Taylor also said the site would be a great location for any industry, with its water supply and railroad and highway connections.
In Friday’s news conference / rally, Taylor had said that anyone who has a need because of the paper mill. He clarified that they should reach out to his local office and they can help facilitate constituents to get access to federal programs to help a transition to new job, and time between jobs. He also said Job & Family Services (JFS) are gearing up to help out.
Taylor said employees are being allowed to leave the paper mill if they want – and especially hires in the last three years are doing so.
He also pointed out that there is a great demand for employees everywhere, so mill workers are not without many options.
Taylor was greeted by seven protestors when he arrived right on time for the breakfast. They complained that he brushed past them and was unwilling to talk to them – though at the end of his appearance, Taylor said he was going to talk to them…but they had left long before.
They said they were just residents of Ross and Highland counties and not an organized group, and word-of-mouth got them there. They requested a “town hall” meeting with Taylor, and criticized the actions of the Trump administration, saying they are not opposed to Republicans, but to MAGA – it’s not a right or left issue, but a moral issue.
Hear them in their own words, as well as Taylor in his own words, in the below videos.
