The University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute has released the most recent draft of the assessment part of the Palisades Economic Recovery Plan as the Covert Township plant has closed and is being decommissioned. Senior project manager Carmen Wells Quigg says ten industries will be hit, with employment services having a major impact.
“This closure will lead to a loss in talent of highly-technical skill sets of employees leaving as well as their families who may be leaving,” says Quigg. “The area already has trouble attracting new employees due to the lack of broadband internet access, healthcare, and other services.”
Palisades employed around 600 people and contributed $10 million in tax revenue in Van Buren, Berrien, and Cass counties. Quigg says the area needs to increase attractiveness to attract new workers such as increasing broadband availability. Research on the plant’s closure began in January 2022 and comments and question can be made using the palisades@marketvanburen.org email address through February 28.
