Ron Riley wasn't totally surprised when he heard he was going to lose his job as a freight handler at the Wilmington Air Field. DHL had been talking for months about a deal with UPS that would shift its operations to Kentucky. Then, when the announcement was made last week that DHL would shut down its domestic delivery service, Riley's sense of despair over the evaporation of his livelihood inspired him to write a letter to the Wilmington News Journal. In it, he spoke of his hopes for the future.
RON RILEY READING HIS LETTER: "I would now only ask that the local and federal government do the right things and really help out the average working people of Wilmington. We don't need help with writing resumes for jobs that just don't exist. We need help with training on the few skilled trades that still do exist."
Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher says he gets the message.
LEE FISHER: Using state, federal funds and private funds, we are committed to doing all the retraining that will be necessary to help these men and women find new jobs in the region or perhaps even other parts of the state of Ohio.
The Clinton County department of Jobs and Family Services reports that it is swamped with requests for job counseling. Wilmington mayor David Raizk is feeling optimistic that federal money will come in to help ease that burden.
MAYOR RAIZK: We've been pre-approved for a national emergency grant from the Dept. of Labor to help with displaced workers for re-training and other needs that they were going to have.
Some Wilmington leaders have expressed concern that the 3.8 million dollar grant won't cover part time workers. Local congressman Mike Turner says he will pursue that issue with the Department of Labor. The Dept of Commerce has approved the funding of an Economic Recovery Coordinator who is due to be in place by the first of the year. That person will write an economic recovery plan for the region. Lee Fisher says one key to that recovery will be local control of the Wilmington Air Field, currently owned by DHL.
LEE FISHER: It's a very, very valuable piece of property and we absolutely need it in order to promote economic development in Southwest Ohio.
Fisher says a local economic task force is researching potential businesses around Ohio and even beyond the state borders that would find the Wilmington Air Field attractive. Clinton County puts the value of the property at over 62 million dollars. So, what is DHL's incentive to give it away?
LEE FISHER: We think that, given how much the state of Ohio and the people of SW Ohio have relied upon DHL, we think that, frankly, DHL has an obligation and a responsibility to do all it can before it exits the domestic market. So, yes absolutely, we're asking for it for free.
MAYOR RAIZK: That doesn't preclude them staying, we hope that they would consider leaving their international operation here.
Mayor David Raizk says it's possible that between 800 and a thousand jobs could be retained in Wilmington, if DHL kept an international shipping presence at the air base. Freight handler Ron Riley isn't very enthusiastic about that possibility.
RON RILEY: I was a little surprised at the mayor's comments that he' like to work with DHL to keep whatever jobs there. To me, they've slapped Wilmington around enough. I just don't see the benefit of trying to bend over and be subservient to DHL, right now {bemused chuckle}
For its part, DHL told the Dayton Daily News this week that it will consider donating the property, once it completes negotiations with UPS to take over the remainder of its U.S. freight business.
