Riceboro Mayor and former employee react to local mill closures

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Two local paper mills will close soon and leave more than a thousand people without jobs.

One of the locations in Savannah and one in Riceboro.

Many of the people who work there have been there for decades.

WTOC was told 228 employees here at the paper mill in Riceboro will be without jobs come October.

One of them happens to be the mayor here in Riceboro.

He says his focus is making sure everyone that won’t have a job.... will, when the time comes.

Riceboro Mayor Chris Stacy says the closure of the paper mill here started as a rumor in the warehouse.

“With the mill, it was generations and generations of families that worked out there,” said Stacy.

He’s spent the past 29 years of his life as an employee here.

He hoped to make it 30 and reach retirement next July.

“The environment was real good, it was like a family environment,” said Stacy. “Everybody got along.”

As Mayor, he says he was one of the first to know.

But as an employee here:

“Just sad that the era is coming to an end,” said Stacy.

This announcement Thursday from International Paper says it’s a part of the company’s ongoing transformation journey.

The closure will leave 1,100 salaried and hourly employees without jobs.

Stacy says he’s working to organize job fairs for those that may struggle to find another one.

“From Savannah to Riceboro, let’s encourage one another and if you know a job that’s available, let somebody know,” said Stacy.

Stacy says the last day for production will be September 8 and last day open will be around October 20.

He encourages everyone that currently works here at the paper mill until that final end date in October so that they’ll qualify for severance and unemployment benefits.