Kruzan and Stoffers Announce GE Response Team

For Immediate Release
January 31, 2008

For more information:
Maria K. Heslin, Deputy Mayor, City of Bloomington, 349.3569

Kruzan and Stoffers Announce GE Response Team

Bloomington, IN - Mayor Mark Kruzan and County Commissioner President Patrick Stoffers announced today the formation of a coordinating team to develop and implement a community action plan in response to the potential closure of the GE refrigeration plant in Bloomington.

"The 18 individuals represent a vast network of resources and connections locally, regionally and nationally," Kruzan said. "They understand their charge is to mobilize that network toward a widely integrated approach in assisting GE employees and the community."

The members of the Coordinating Team include:

• Danise Alano, City of Bloomington Economic Development Director
  
• Lynn Coyne, Vice President for Real Estate, Indiana University
  
• Trent Deckard, Field Representative for United States Congressman Baron Hill
  
• Christy Gillenwater, CEO, Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce
  
• Vic Kelson, President, Monroe County Council
  
• Mark Kruzan, Mayor, City of Bloomington
  
• Barry Lessow, Executive Director, United Way
  
• Bill Mitchell, President, IBEW 2249
  
• Joyce Poling, Monroe County Commissioner
  
• Kevin Robling, City of Bloomington Corporation Counsel and Chief of Staff
  
• Richard Rampley, Program Director, WorkOne
  
• Susan Sandberg, President, City of Bloomington Common Council
  
• Patrick Stoffers, President, Monroe County Commissioners
  
• Ron Walker, President, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation
  
• Peggy Welch, Indiana State Representative
  
• John Whikehart, Chancellor, Ivy Tech Community College
  
• Kirk White, Director of Community Relations, Indiana University
  
• Jackie Yenna, President, White River Central Labor Council
  

"This team will ensure we are ready to jump into action on several fronts should the outcome after this next two months be that GE affirms its plan to close the plant," Stoffers said.

The "next two months" refers to the time period that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2249 has to offer recommendations or alternatives to GE's plan. This 60-day "decision bargaining" period began on January 17, when GE announced its intention to close the plant.

Kruzan noted GE policy prohibits its officials from participating in the process until the 60-day period concludes, which is March 17.

Kruzan will convene the team in the next couple of weeks so it can parse out its immediate activities. To that end, three members of the Coordinating Team have been named to lead efforts under specific priorities. Each will tap others both from within and outside of the coordinating team to address the three primary areas of concern:

• Employee assistance: Barry Lessow
  
• Community financial impact: Christy Gillenwater
  
• Site reutilization: Ron Walker

Of the most immediate concern - employee assistance - Lessow will head up the coordination and communication efforts related to available support systems, whether the need is for financial, educational or emotional support.

Assembling appropriate government and private sector leaders, Gillenwater will coordinate assessing the closure's financial impact to the community, and identifying how the community can address the impact.

Finally, if the decision to close the plant is affirmed, Walker will coordinate a subgroup to look at future reutilization of the site of the GE plant. This group will likely include leaders of local government and economic development, as well as members of GE management.

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