Work of many pays off for area

Opinion

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July 21, 2007

By TODD GARVIN The Glasgow Daily Times Sat Jul 21, 2007, 10:29 AM CDT

That “woosh” you heard on Friday was the sigh of relief of officials who have logged long hours to woo Sitel Operating Corporation to our community.

The call center project was one of passion for Industrial Development Economic Authority executive director Scott Luth, who was steadfast in his efforts to bring the company to Glasgow even though it was often thought to be a hopeless quest.

Numerous other city and county officials, along with former Rep. Steve Nunn and Rep. Johnny Bell, also kept putting the pressure on Frankfort and Gov. Ernie Fletcher when many would have understandably thrown in the towel.

The state denying benefits and constantly complaining that the call center wouldn’t pay high enough salaries to be a benefit to the county certainly didn’t help matters.

So, now that all the debating and negotiating are over, what exactly does this mean to our community?

First and foremost, jobs.

Most of the employees will make between $8 and $9 an hour, which is ideal for a student or a family needing a second income. Although some might argue that only higher-paying jobs should be desirable, those are extremely competitive in today’s global market.

Besides, diversity is good in any market. You won’t find too many places around this country where every job pays in the upper wage bracket.

Speaking of wages, 500 jobs at any salary are going to be a serious shot in the arm to the area economy.

Even if every job paid $8 an hour, that’s $8,320,000 over the course of the year based on a 40-hour work week and 500 workers. Of course, that doesn’t include the salary of the managerial staff.

That means an influx of money into our local food service and retail establishments. Perhaps the added jobs will even be an incentive for other retailers to invest in our area.

IDEA and the Chamber of Commerce remain diligent in luring new retail to the many abandoned storefronts and new strip malls in our area, but have thus far been met with indifference. More success by our existing stores is sure to catch the attention of other retailers.

In the great circle of life, more retail opportunities means a greater chance of people in outlying counties stopping at Glasgow rather than continuing on to Bowling Green.

Of course, having more restaurants wouldn’t hurt matters — in luring both retail and industry to our area.

It’s no secret that the restaurant referendum will be presented in Glasgow again in the not-too-distant future, which will undoubtedly spark debates of growth vs. morality. There is undeniable evidence that areas offering alcohol in restaurants have experienced growth. However, some would prefer to keep the town as is, without the temptation of alcohol to its residents.

The question is, how much longer can Glasgow survive without the economic growth that a restaurant referendum would attract?

However, that’s an issue for another day. Today, we should be thankful that our community welcomes another industry that is sure to be a much-needed boost to our economy.

Congratulations to all involved in luring the call center to Barren County. It was a job well-done.

And to Sitel, welcome. We hope you make yourself right at home.

TODD GARVIN can be reached at (270) 678-5171, ext. 234 or tgarvin@glasgowdailytimes.com.

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