MACOMB, ILL. -- The mayor of Macomb thinks despite a recent announcement that one of the city's major employers is imposing furloughs on their employees, the overall economic outlook for the city is good.
Mayor Mike Inman said in past years, the Pella Window Corporation has issued layoff notices to its employees for several weeks.
But in a new twist, the company is going to issue week-long furloughs to employees through the end of March, staggering them so there isn't a mass layoff for a month or two like what happened in previous years.
"When there's not only a seasonal slow down and decline in their work, but also an impact of the national economy on them. This is the approach they're going to take. It's going to be a week rotation amongst the whole work force out there. Not at one time. And it's a more equitable effort to spread that little bit of hardship across the board out there," said Inman.
The mayor said when he first took office last year, he made a trip to Pella Iowa to talk with senior corporate officers with the Pella Window company.
He said he came away with the impression that the company likes Macomb and plans to continue their operation in McDonough County.
According to the Macomb Area Economic Development Corporation website, the Pella corporation employs approximately 263 people, making it one of the largest employers in McDonough County.
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