“The unemployment rate in Walker County continues to be one of the lowest in the state, and I attribute that success to the hard work and dedication of our citizens,” said Bebe Heiskell, Walker County commissioner. “My number one priority as commissioner continues to be attracting new business to the area so we can continue this level of success in moving Walker County forward.”
The news follows Roper Corp.’s announcement that the company is hiring more than 100 employees for newly created positions.
“Roper Corporation’s commitment to Walker County has been invaluable to us over the years, and we are so appreciative of that,” Heiskell said. “We will continue to do absolutely everything we can to make sure they are economically healthy and continue to operate here for many years.”
“We continue to be impressed with the workforce here, and the county overall offers a tremendous quality of life,” said Kevin Redman, materials manger and acting plant manager for Roper Corp., which is Walker County’s largest private employer. “We also want to thank the Walker County Development Authority for all their support.”
CNN recently traveled to Walker County to observe why the local economy is thriving following a 2008 recession unemployment level at more than 11 percent. CNN’s story attributed the success to the diversity of job creation in the area, ranging from the automotive industry to carpet and fiber manufacturers to Roper Corp.’s cooking appliance manufacturing operation owned by General Electric.
Since the economic downturn of 2008 through 2013, Roper Corp. will have invested $167 million to manufacture new cooking products. The Walker County Development Authority and government officials entered into an agreement with the company to create an economic development bond, valued at $64 million, to upgrade production equipment and funds for employee job training as part of Roper’s commitment to continue operations in Walker County. More than 1,200 people are employed by Roper Corp., and more than 100 new positions have been created this year.
Even if Roper(Whirlpool) was not a handout taker, it wouldn't matter. Bebe and the crony capitalists at the development authority are NOT the ones responsible for any upturn in the economy. They are the cheerleaders on the sidelines, not the players on the field. Government can't do anything but pull money out of the pockets of taxpayers. It can't "create" jobs. the best we can hope for is for the silly fools to get out of the way and let businesses grow their markets the old fashioned way.
12 years is plenty. Time for new blood.
http://www.roperappliances.com
How's that?
Roper is a division of GE ~ ~
Somebody needs to tell them that. Their website mistakenly identifies them as part of the Whirlpool empire.I think that I have a better idea now how a person can homestead a political office for the better part of a generation and still convince people that she's the best choice that they could possibly make. When people won't accept basic facts,they are very easy to bamboozle.
http://articles.latimes.com/1988-03-22/business/fi-1745_1_ge-increases
http://www.cityoflafayettega.com/2010/01/council-tells-roper/
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8052579.html
I didn't see 'ol Bebe taking the blame for the county's spike in unemployment (by my reckoning the peak was in March of '09). I didn't see her staring out of my newspaper shaking many hands then. But now that the tide has come in and boats are rising (Thank goodness), she wants to make you think that it was all her doing. My rooster will next take credit for the sunrise.
I have nothing against business moving here,setting up shop and selling like the dickens. Everybody benefits. But its the hard work of their employees and owners that make it a reality,not a career politician.
The real Roper LaFayette site is www.ropercorplafayette.com/
Roper isn't called GE simply because all official GE facilities are unionized. If they used the GE name in LaFayette, the plant would go union, and probably close because its costs would shoot up.