By Melissa Shriver
Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 7:16 p.m.
Read more: Local, Economy, Community, Holcim, Closed, Cement, Clarksville
Employees of the Holcim plant near Clarksville are out of a job. The cement manufacturing plant closed for good Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Holcim blames the closing on the low demand for cement these days.
That's left its employees and a nearby community wondering what the future holds. Workers at the Clarksville plant lost their jobs, some of whom had worked here since the plant opened in 1967. Mac Betts has put in 35 years of his life working here. Now he doesn't know what to do.
Mac Betts said, "There's not many options around here."
What's it like to know its closed?
Betts said, "It's like a death in the family really, its sad."
Holcim was the only manufacturer in the Clarksville area, and with it gone so are the jobs.
That means some families will have to move to locate employment. Clarksville will also lose out on a lot of business from Holcim employees.
Meanwhile Clarksville recently completed its long-term master plan for the city.
It includes plans to address the city's aging infrastructure, including new water lines and storm water drainage systems for the streets.
Mayor Jo Anne Smiley hopes if funding is found for the many projects, it will bring work for those layed off by Holcim.