Thread: Lettuce plant raises concerns in Overton

Sunday, 02/18/07

Lettuce plant raises concerns in Overton
Jobs welcomed, but residents fear immigrant influx

By LEON ALLIGOOD
Staff Writer

LIVINGSTON, Tenn. — Lettuce is not a disagreeable vegetable, but approved plans to bring a hydroponic "greens farm" to a county-owned industrial park have raised a couple of disagreeable issues in this Upper Cumberland town.

County commissioners on Monday evening approved the sale of 110 acres south of town to a Canadian company for $400,000, less than half what the county paid for the land about six years ago. The company, Hydroserre Tennessee, will hire 290 workers and grow several types of lettuce and herbs year-round in huge environmentally controlled greenhouses.

Meanwhile, despite repeated assurances from the company and from county officials, some locals are equally concerned about who will pick and package the lettuce for wages of $9.50 and up, plus benefits. Will the jobs go to current Overton Countians, or will the jobs attract an influx of Hispanic workers?

On Thursday these issues came to a head, no pun intended, at the Parkway Restaurant, a popular meat and three where the daily specials were pork roast and skillet lasagna.

The table for six was round, situated nearest the sizzling grill. A cook stayed busy flipping burgers and dressing buns with condiments. All the seats at the table were filled by regulars, including Ken Walthall, 47, and Mike Lockhart, 53, on one side, facing Franklin "Peck" Smith, 64.

"We got to get something started. We need jobs," said Smith, the county's register of deeds. He held a hamburger above his plate with both hands, poised to take a bite.

"But, 110 acres for 300 people?" countered Walthall, who believes the county sold the land too cheaply.

Friendly disagreement

And so the disagreement between friends began, as they washed down their midday meals with gulps of sweet tea.

"We'll be just like Monterey," said Walthall, owner of a small trucking company. He was referring to the Putnam County town where a chicken processing plant has attracted hundreds of Hispanics to the western part of that county.

"Nobody here will take those $9 jobs. Nope. If a man goes out to I-40 and sits at the exit, you can tell where everybody (from here) is going to work. They're headed toward Nashville every day," added Lockhart, also a trucker.

Smith jumped back into the fray.

"We've got to have something to offer to our people here," he said.

"But they're giving away too much land," Walthall fired back.

"Sometimes by giving away you might do better in the long run," the older man replied.

Sentiments appeared similarly divided elsewhere. Of 20 Overton County residents contacted at random in person or by phone, a dozen indicated they were in favor of the sale but had concerns whether the jobs would go to locals.

"We'd love to have a lot more of those new jobs to come in. We need more places for our people to work. This is a nice town and I love it, but a lot of people can't seem to find work here," said Charlotte Teasley, manager of Shady Rose Gift Shop on the square.

Down the street, florist Lynn King said the lettuce plant would draw a lot of interest. "The labor force that's available here in this region will be more than adequate. You always hope jobs go to locals, but I really don't think there'll be a problem here. A lot of people need jobs," he said.

From her post behind the cash register at the Parkway, owner Emma Stover called the lettuce plant "a good idea."

"We're drying up to nothing. But I think it should be local people who get the jobs. I got nothing against (Hispanics), but I can't see them coming over here and taking our jobs," she said.

But Stephen Fotopulos, policy coordinator for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, said the community's concern may be largely unfounded.

"Much of the fear of Latino workers is based on political rhetoric about illegal immigration," he said. "It's natural for people to fear those things … those fears often end up being unbased."

The influx of immigrant workers in recent years hasn't increased unemployment, Fotopulos noted. Instead, he said, the added immigrant work force has helped strengthen Tennessee's economy.

Not enough bang

Greg Nivens, one of only two county commissioners who voted against the sale, said he "thought the county just could have done better."

"We gave away too much. We did not get enough bang for the taxpayer's buck. We spent a whole lot of money for 290 jobs. And yes, I'm concerned those jobs are going to go to Hispanics. It's happened in other places," Nivens said.

Such talk exasperates County Mayor Kenneth Copeland, 55. Since last fall, he and others have worked quietly, but determinedly, to persuade the Montreal company, grower of 15 million heads of lettuce last year, to expand its hydroponics empire into Overton County.

Because of the county's above-average unemployment rate, down slightly in December to 6.4 percent, industrial recruitment has been one of Copeland's major concerns since entering office in 2002.

However, selling prospective industries on Overton County is often a hard sale, Copeland said.

"They haven't been beating our door down."

The county's work force is not highly skilled, as measured by things like the number of students who graduate from high school or the number of college graduates who live there. "Those kinds of things are what they ask about first," Copeland said. "But we have good workers in Overton County. They work hard."

Dangling a carrot

After learning of Hydroserre's decision to open its first American plant, the county mayor said he and others were determined not to let them go to the competition, a site in western North Carolina.

In the end, the county dangled a large carrot before the Canadians: a major reduction in the land price.

"You know yourself that most counties buy property and cater to industries with incentives. That's how you have to play the game. In order to stay in the ballgame, we had to put our location and our site on a level playing field," Copeland said.

"We see a payback in our people having jobs and being able to pay their bills, buy their kids clothes, go to school, buy groceries, pay their property taxes."

The mayor had no doubts that Overton Countians will hold those 290 jobs. "They have promised us, and we believe them, that they will hire local people," Copeland said.

"Overton Countians are going to be growing that lettuce, you better believe it. I've already had people call me at home wanting to know where they can put in an application."

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art ... /1006/NEWS

My folks live there. This was the same spiel given when Tyson opened the chicken plant in Monterey (17 miles away), now it's all Hispanics.

Politicans sell another piece of America. Does anyone really believe once the immigration people have stated saying trust us, it will not happen, that it won't happen. This sell is just another gift to illegal aliens. if the county is willing to sell it a portion of what it cost to purchase, then the county is not willing to support its American citizens.

Wait and see. Norfolk Iron and Metal and Menu foods both opened plants in my town (also home to a Tyson plant) and locals had the same fears, but both companies (Canadian Owned) promised to hire locals even if it meant increasing the wage slightly to attract them.

So far both companies are doing well and provide great jobs to my cousin and others in my age range who did not finish college or are in the military reserves.

On the flip side Tyson continues it's practice of shipping in workers.

Will the jobs go to current Overton Countians, or will the jobs attract an influx of Hispanic workers?

Sounds like a tossup to me over who wants to live in poverty the most. Sounds a poor investment. This is the American dream? Sounds like here. Seven of the ten fastest growing occupations don't pay enough for a worker to rent a place to live. Thirty percent of our homeless are employed.