Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
August 3, 2017 – 4:02 p.m.
Emily Ham and Lisa McAbee, representing Westrock and Rayonier Advanced Materials respectively, appeared before the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) on August 1, 2017 to deliver a community relations update from the mills. Presenters reported findings from a recent University of Florida/IFAS study highlighting the direct and indirect contributions to the local economy from manufacturing activities of Westrock and Rayonier Advanced Materials.
The Fernandina Observer first highlighted this report in June. (See: https://fernandinaobserver.com/2017/06/22/the-smell-of-money/)
Emily Ham began their presentation with remarks about the mills’ history in the city. “We are sharing this report which we jointly commissioned last fall with the community in the hope that the community and our public officials will be better informed as we go forward and as we make public policy decisions that affect our operations into the future,” she said.
The mills have a combined output of $1.2B and support 4,034 jobs with a resulting economic multiplier of 3.18. Their jobs account for 13 percent of Nassau County jobs. They pay out $252M to workers and businesses. Additionally they are the largest two taxpayers in the city. On an annual basis, they pay $27.4M in state and local taxes to include $12.9M in sales taxes and $9.2 in property taxes. They pay $59.2M in federal taxes.
Between 2013-15, their capital investment was almost $100M: $48.6M – Rayonier Advanced Materials and $48M – Westrock.
“Investing in our communities goes hand-in-hand with investing in our businesses,” Lisa McAbee said. She said that mill managers encourage their employees to get involved in volunteer activities in the community. She cited Rayonier Advanced Materials’ annual golf tournament to raise money for the United Way and Westrock’s work with the Barnabas Center to assist families in need over the holidays with food. Mill employees have also worked with Habitat for Humanity to build homes.
As part of their direct support, the mills donated more than $500K from 2013-2016 to charitable efforts in the community. Target areas for corporate giving include education, workforce development, youth programs, environmental programs, affordable housing, human services, and civic organizations. Some of the recent recipients of financial grants include the Boys and Girls Club, Meals on Wheels, Nassau Humane Society, Nassau Historical Society, and Friends of the Fernandina Beach Library.
The mills and forest industries have been part of the local community for over 80 years. McAbee said, “Our combined local contributions support our schools. They reduce tax burdens on our homeowners. They boost our local businesses. They fill vacant hotel rooms during tourist off-season. And they promote great prosperity for our community and our families, including me, who call Nassau County and Fernandina Beach home.”
Mayor Robin Lentz thanked the presenters as well as Rayonier Advanced Materials mill manager C.A. McDonald and Westrock mill manager Tom Sweetser for attending the meeting.
This is all well and good, the mills certainly contribute a lot and it is great they have people volunteering and donating things to the town. Wonderful. What I would like to hear or see a presentation on is what they are doing to improve the air quality in town and emitted from their stacks. What are they doing to improve, consolidate reduce the truck traffic? There should be much more to a story titled “Manufacturing IMPACT in Nassau County and Fernandina Beach”