Megasite is on!
June 22, 2009

If there was ever any doubt that state and local governments would move forward with the Haywood County Megasite — forget it.

The state legislature Thursday approved a budget that includes $40.3 million for the 1,700-plus acre site near I-40’s Exit 42.

A fiscal scrap between state lawmakers two weeks ago put the funding in jeopardy, but those issues were quickly worked out. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers say they see the benefit.

Governor Phil Bredesen, who has just returned from a European industrial recruiting trip, is expected to sign the budget bill upon his return. Bredesen is a proponent of the site and selected the megasite as the location of a $30 million solar power farm.

The solar power farm will be funded separately with a federal stimulus grant. The green energy installation is expected to help attract a mega-industry.

Tennessee already has three megasites — all have landed employers that work thousands of people.

The next step is to purchase the property. Landowners will receive about $10,000 per acre.

Haywood County selected for high-tech solar farm
May 14, 2009

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen announced this week that state government would build Tennessee’s largest solar power farm in Haywood County. Bredesen surprised even local officials with the announcement at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to the governor’s office, the $30-million-plus solar power installation will be built at the megasite and will cover about 20 acres. Though it is unclear exactly where the power production facility will be located at the site, Bredesen said it would be visible from I-40. The megasite tracts are all located near Exit 42.

Capable of producing 5 megawatts of power, the facility will produce enough electricity to power 700 homes. Tennessee is home to a number of new industries that produce components used in producing solar power. TVA has agreed to buy the electricity the plant generates, and Bredesen says profits will be plowed back into growing the infrastructure at the power plant.

Leaders say the plant is also likely to attract additional green power industry to Tennessee and make the megasite even more attractive to prospects.

The governor did not say when he thought construction might begin but did say the project must be approved by the Department of Energy and the state legislature. Funding for the project comes from federal stimulus legislation earmarked for Tennessee and green energy production.

Cub Cadet workers stare down unemployment with uncompromising production
June 11, 2009

The announcement came May 6. The Cub Cadet manufacturing plant, a star Brownsville industry, was closing. The jaw-dropping announcement was delivered in the conference room at the courthouse to Mayors Franklin Smith and Webb Banks and Brownsville Radio. The news was delivered to workers just a few minutes later.

The closing will affect nearly 500 workers — many of them seasonal — but at least 200 working at the plant year-round.

Terrible news that, most would believe, likely including the company’s top executives, would cripple production and create unusual absenteeism for the remaining weeks the plant continued to operate.

But plant manager Greg Usery said the almost unbelievable happened. The day after the closing announcement the plant beat production numbers. The day’s quota was 150 lawn mowers — Cub Cadet workers turned out more than 160.

Since then, Usery says, “We’ve beat them (quotas) about every day. The mood is certainly not as happy as it was — but our people remain dedicated,” Usery said.

Usery says production’s quality checks remain extremely high and absenteeism is “about usual.”

Plant officials also say the facility will remain open until July 24, about two weeks longer than planned. Usery says additional orders made the extension possible, and he believes the work might have gone to another Cub Cadet factory had the workers not been so dedicated.

Cub Cadet’s plant will close in late July, but a distribution center that could eventually hire several dozen workers will remain open.