Plans to revitalize Utica Area

To what extent can Oconee County come to the rescue of troubled Utica? District Three Oconee County Councilman Paul Cain has a special interest in Utica, where life in the 20th century revolved around a now closed textile plant. “That is an area in my district, but it is not just important to District Three, just outside Seneca, but it is important for the whole county. It is an area that had the old Utica Mill there, which shut down in 2000, I believe. It is right over there with the Propex building and the Seneca Rail Park. That area was designated by our Governor as an opportunity zone, which provides all sorts of tax benefits to people who invest in those areas. So, it is important that we leverage that opportunity to make sure that we meet some of the needs that we have right now. In a study several years ago, Tri-County Technical College found that in areas where there was a textile mill that shut down, the unemployment rate can be as high as ten times the current unemployment rate. So, right now I think it is 3.7%, so times ten that is 37% and that obviously is a far cry from 3.7%. So, the key is getting these folks back to work in this area. We have plenty of jobs here in Oconee County, the key is finding the trained workforce to fill those roles.” Cain hopes this legislation will empower Oconee County to revitalize the Utica area.