By BROOKE STEVENSON
Sunday Times Newspapers
RIVERVIEW — City officials are trying to take the edge off a company’s impending departure.
Taminco, at West Jefferson near Pennsylvania announced last year that it soon would be moving its production facility, which mainly manufactures chemical amines, to St. Gabriel, La.
To help counter the loss of jobs and taxes to the community, officials have hired Carlisle Wortman Associates Inc. to help prepare for brownfield development on the site.
A committee made up of City Manager Dean Workman, Human Resource Director John Hajkus, Finance Director Douglas Drysdale, Building Development Director Mark Drysdale and Purchasing Director Denise Kuch interviewed two companies before deciding on Carlisle Wortman.
Taminco plans to move all of its working equipment and business out of the city by late 2009. Since the announcement city officials have planned to seek correction of the site through brownfield development.
A brownfield is a property which may face complications when redeveloping or reusing it because of the potential presence of hazardous contaminants.
Carlisle Worman was brought in as experienced professionals to oversee the removal of buildings and equipment, as well as to prepare for the redevelopment.
Taminco paid the city about $170,000 in taxes annually, and also paid state educational taxes.