If You Don't Ask . . .
Inspired by a comment on Gossips yesterday about a "plastics extrusion factory" here in Hudson, I asked about this persistent rumor at last night's meeting of the Common Council Economic Development Committee. Two months ago, the word was that a plastics manufacturer was interested in setting up shop in the Kaz warehouses, at the south end of Second Street, and had been told by the Hudson Development Corporation board that zoning does not permit that activity in that location. Last night, I learned that the same folks have turned their attention to the former Hudson Fabrics building at the north end of Second Street.
What, I asked, happened to Premier Brands--the company that spoke of creating a hundred jobs for people living within walking distance of the facility, the company for whose sake the the Common Council authorized a settlement for unpaid property taxes with the building's current owner, the company to whom the Columbia County Industrial Development Agency granted a PILOT, the first PILOT they'd done in Hudson since 1967?
It seems that while the City of Hudson and Columbia County were lavish in their support of the undertaking, the banks were not. Premier Brands was unable to get the financing needed to acquire the building and establish a facility in Hudson and consequently abandoned their plan.
According to Common Council President Don Moore, the "plastics extrusion factory" that may move into the building beside the former county landfill manufactures the plastic net bags that some kinds of produce--potatoes, onions, oranges, grapefruit--is sold in. He said there was also the possibility that they might manufacture plastic deer fencing, if they were awarded a contract by the State of New York. Alderman Cappy Pierro (Fifth Ward) conveyed the information, in a manner that suggested he was not convinced of the truth of what he was saying, that the plastic and the manufacturing process were "environmentally friendly."
smells like trouble.... plastic fumes are no fun and plastic in general is something the world needs less of, not more.
ReplyDeleteToo bad we could not get a solar panel or windmill assembly factory there, with discounts for all city buildings to install them.
Your suggestion SlowArt would be brilliant but would also require the city to actually attempt to bring such an enterprise of worthiness to this town.
ReplyDeleteGood work Gossips. We'd probably never have known otherwise.
ReplyDeleteStill, this was the sort of discussion which should have taken place during the LWRP planning, and when the zoning was being finalized by last year's deadbeat council.
Not only was the council missing in action, but where was everyone else? At least the council was there in body.
I do know that Cheryl Roberts showed up (oops, I mean "corporate counsel"). But if citizens didn't weigh in on the zoning amendments before they became law, then they only have themselves to blame for whatever fits into the zoning language.