Possible Mohawk dye plant closing could affect water rate
By Andrea Freygang
Thursday February 22, 2007 10:02:27am


If Mohawk Industries closes its dye plant on Lavender Drive, Rome could lose upwards of a million dollars in water revenues, city officials said. And that loss could affect residential water rates in the future.

“We haven’t had any official confirmation yet but have received a phone call,” said John Bennett, city manager. “Another person with corporate said it might shut down temporarily, but for us this is our major industry as far as water and sewer goes.”

Bennett said the company spends close to a million dollars a year in a good year.

Cathy Sims, director of water billing, said the last few months have seen a definite 30 to 40 percent decrease in water usage, with 2006 down from previous years, bringing in only $460,000 in revenue for the city.

The plant uses about 247 million gallons a year, said Sims. For Rome residents, this means water rates could potentially rise, pending an upcoming water-rate study.

“It’s definitely possible because if Mohawk goes down, we could definitely have an impact on water rates,” said Leigh Ross, director of Rome’s Water and Sewer Division.

Ross said he didn’t know if it would have an affect on the $10 million in bonds for the new water meter program rolled out in 2006.

Mohawk officials have not yet returned repeated phone calls from the Rome News-Tribune. The plant employs about 25 people.


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MrTonkle
Comments: 32
Joined: 01/17/2006
03/20/2007 07:46:20 PM
Wow, I killed a thread. Sorry about that.
 
MrTonkle
Comments: 32
Joined: 01/17/2006
03/16/2007 11:54:50 PM
If I'm not mistaken, Dalton's water revenue isn't used by Dalton's government to do with as they please. Rome's water department's revenues, on the other hand, prop up the local government. So not only do you pay taxes to keep the government up, but your water company's pockets are stripped bare, too. So just where does all this money go, anyway? Why can't Rome have a water authority and get the government's hand out of their till? How can Rome have the taxes it has AND be dependent on the water revenues, too? You'd think we'd have streets paved with gold! Wonder where all that money goes?
 
CSS4Comm4
Comments: 160
Joined: 10/09/2006
03/11/2007 12:28:35 PM
The unfortunate issue here is that we, the citizens, are at the mercy of the water suppliers, the gasoline suppliers, the natural gas suppliers, the electricity suppliers, as well as the pharmaceutical suppliers. Why? Because we don't have any choices. Our president even claimed that Americans "are addicted to oil," which is total BS. This is like claiming that we are addicted to electricity. Both are necessities, not addictions. We need gasoline to get to work, to school, or to the grocery store. If we were offered a few alternate energy choices, like affordable hydrogen cell powered vehicles, affordable ethanol (E-85) powered vehicles, or dependable, affordable and long-range electric vehicles, then the "addiction" claim would be justified. The problem is that these suppliers each have a monopoly and the government just turns a blind eye to it. In fact, they each stick together within some type of common corporate price-fixing organization, make billions of dollars in profits each year, and pay high-powered lobbyists to entertain (or should I say, "purchase?") many of our spineless elected officials. (Hey, Congressman Nathan Deal, what happened to those term-limits you supported before your first election?) As long as Detroit, OPEC, Exxon/Mobile, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, and others are making billions and padding the pockets of Wall Street investors, as well as these spineless elected officials, we, the common men and women, will never have a voice over what we have to pay for products without some type of government intervention.

The natural gas suppliers even had the gall to report recently that the price of natural gas would be increasing due to "global warming" and the "fact" that our winters are getting milder on the average, causing the demand for natural gas to decrease, and causing a decrease in natural gas profits. Incredible!!! These suppliers have long argued that their price increases were based on "supply and demand" issues. Now the natural gas suppliers have another excuse. I am sure Rome Water will use this excuse and the multi-billion dollar corporations would use the same excuse if we were offered alternatives to their products.

I hate to hear that a large company like Mohawk is closing this plant in Rome, but it is just another way they are having to compete with Shaw Industries. Shaw (and I'm sure Mohawk and others are doing it too) is even advertising that all "newly-hired" Human Resources Personnel must be bilingual. That helps when communicating with the Hispanic employees they are hiring in at $7.00 to 8.00 per hour for jobs that blacks and whites were being paid $12.00 to $16.00 per hour to do. Or, maybe it's for another option. By opening a few plants in Mexico, with fewer environmental laws and extremey lower wages, and by slowly, but systematically, closing local plants, like the Rome Mohawk plant, and continuing to charge the same or higher prices for the same products, Warren Buffett might overtake Bill Gates as the one who will die with the most marbles.

I don't have a problem with corporations making billion dollar profits when those profits are earned by good management and by producing products that are purchased by choice. But when they are simply exploiting and price-gouging the average American consumer over products that are very necessary in our daily lives, something needs to be done.
 
RickyBobby
Comments: 40
Joined: 02/21/2007
03/06/2007 02:11:25 PM
Citizens of Rome,

Now is the time to speak up!
This morning during the Catoosa County Comissioner's meeting, County Manager Ron Brown, brought up a situation for future discussion; "A heads up" for the County Comissioners.

Mr. Brown said that due to the water shortage in Atlanta the city may have to reach out to other counties to supply water at some point in the near future.

Mr. Clark asked if Atlanta was going to buy our water or take it? Mr. Brown's said that's we need to talk about.

My first thought was I know where 247 million gallons a year are for sale.
 
Bird Dog
Comments: 288
Joined: 09/06/2006
03/04/2007 09:55:24 AM
Maybe the RNT needs to do some investigative reporting on this as well. The two primary expenses that a dyehouse has are water and power. I believe if they check, the rates are significantly lower on both in the Dalton area. You make many great points on this whole situation RickyBobby. It would be exensive to have to pick up a dyehouse and move it, but when you have plenty of existing capacity in area with significantly cheaper utilities, it's a no brainer....
 
RickyBobby
Comments: 40
Joined: 02/21/2007
03/04/2007 09:31:10 AM
So if you're unhappy about your water service you should find another supplier.
OH... Wait! You can't! That's why they can do what ever they want to do.

I've been in sales for 15 years. If I lose a large piece of business I have to go out and find more to make up for the loss. I can't just mark up my prices, stay home and watch Oprah.
As a sales trainer now, I see sales people who consider those large accounts as the "Gravy Train". Not to be one who preaches gloom and doom but those "Gravy Boats" sink; sometimes faster than we can handle. Therefore, a smart sales person will consider the risk associated with these larger pieces of business and do what I call success planning.

Think about:
*What are the factors that could cause me to lose the business? Both internal and external.
*What would I do if this customer closed, moved, or experienced financial troubled? It happens every day.
*How will I make up for the loss if this happens? HAVE A PLAN!!!
*What can I start doing today to begin preparing for it if it does ? AGAIN, HAVE A PLAN!!!

$460K in revenue was at risk in one location and someone didin't think about what they would do if this plant closed. Has anyone else but me ever seen a player in the carpet industry sold, moved or closed? Could someone actually think, "This would never happen to our plant?"
I'm just a dumb southern boy I guess. I know most people put salespeople and politicians in the same boat. I know now that sales people are much smarter.

Here's a possible solution if the revenue loss is that great. Someone come up with one of those fancy designer names and logo, bottle it and send it to Hollywood. You may not sell the volume as before but revenues would sky rocket.

Packaged right water sells at a higher price than gasoline or even wine.
And they say I'm just another dumb southern boy.

-OR-

The community could band together and speak publicly rather than whine privately. But in my experience it may be easier to go the packaging route.
 
merry
Comments: 16
Joined: 08/29/2006
03/04/2007 04:15:54 AM
So, let me see if I can understand this....if 247 million gallons of water does NOT get used, we all have to pay more for our water. What? Where is the logic in this? What does not using that much water have to do with our residential use? If the water dept was a restruant, that means that if only a few burgers are sold they will cost more. But if lots of burgers sell, then they cost less. Hmmm. What if we were talking cars? So you sell 2 today, they cost more, but you sell the same 2 plus 3 more, and you will pay less for the cars on that day. Hmmm. Still doesn't sound right. Hey, what about the folks losing their jobs? They must not have been using enough water...er...wait, this is confusing.
 
str8trippn
Comments: 2
Joined: 07/05/2006
02/28/2007 09:10:58 AM
Any excuse is a good excuse for raising our water bills---to THEM! Out of all those gallons not used, that's going to be less sewage to treat...seems like $$$ would actually be saved?

 
winracer
Comments: 18
Joined: 05/11/2006
02/22/2007 04:43:31 PM
I don't understand the logic here. Does anyone remember the last time we got new industry in the community and our water rates went down? It's just a ploy.
 
bamagirl
Comments: 1
Joined: 02/22/2007
02/22/2007 04:02:01 PM
Funny to me how the Great City of Rome is so worried about their water consumption, but they haven't given a second thought to the people who DID work at Mohawk who are going to have trouble paying THEIR water bills now!! No concern at all for their hardship...what a city. The best move I ever made was the one I made across the state line!!!!
 
going2hell
Comments: 7
Joined: 12/18/2005
02/22/2007 02:04:16 PM
This is ridiculous. Doesn't the water authority always tell us every summer to conserve our water usage? Well, look on the bright side. That's several hundred million gallons of water that is saved. Hey Rome Water Authority, you got what you wanted didn't you??? millions of gallons will now be conserved. Enjoy it! Don't you dare raise OUR water bills. Cut your damn budget expenses to make up for the loss.

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