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Mayor Reacts to ADM Returning to Galesburg
Galesburg Mayor Sal Garza says he couldn't be happier that Archer Daniels Midland changed its mind about closing up shop in Galesburg.

The plant had been in operation as a oilseed processing facility, and has a history dating back to ADM's ownership in 1963, and even before that to 1939. It closed last August, and now the company says it will turn the plant into a grain elevator, opening by July.

Garza tells WGIL it's somewhat unusual for a company to sort-of change its mind like that, but it worked.

"The way that we approach sitting down and reaching out first, and then sitting down with the ADM officials, was not one that we probably would have experienced...like, for example, with the Maytag closure, that there was the venting of the frustration and the anger," Garza said. "We created an atmosphere and an environment that was conducive to productive negotiations."

Only five people will be at the new elevator, down from the 31 that worked there when the plant closed. But as Garza said, if you can't lure five jobs, you can't lure 500.

Garza says he hopes ADM's announce is a "new beginning," and says more such announcements could be coming in the beginning of the year.
12 24 11 by Newsroom
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