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November 11, 2009

Pfizer transition Coordinating Council meets

Area to exploit experience, in reacting to Pfizer move

By DAN HEATH

PLATTSBURGH — The first meeting of the Pfizer Transition Coordinating Council showed community leaders have gained expertise from the loss of other large employers.

Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas noted that in the North Country, as in all of Upstate New York, there are times when companies leave and eliminate jobs.

"The mark of a community is how it responds."

FAST ACTION
The North Country has some experience with that, having endured blows such as the loss of Plattsburgh Air Force Base, Imperial Wallcoverings and the announced closure of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

Douglas said it's important for the affected employees and other businesses in those communities to see a rapid, non-partisan response.

He just wants to make it clear that Pfizer's decision to close the facilities wasn't based on lack of effort by any department or agency. It was simply a strategic realignment that, unfortunately, resulted in bad news for the North Country.

He said regional leaders have gained experience from the past closures, and more than 30 local, state and federal leaders put that experience into play less than 24 hours after Pfizer announced it would close its three area research and development facilities.

Three immediate focus points came out of Tuesday's meeting, Douglas said.

HELP THE WORKERS
The first is to maximize assistance and support for the impacted employees and their families. That goes beyond the well known, such as unemployment benefits and training opportunities.

Douglas pledged to leave no stone unturned in finding every possible form of assistance.

North Country Regional Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Paul Grasso will be the team leader, in that regard. Grasso said he's already had a conference call with staff at the New York State Department of Labor about additional resources and has a meeting scheduled Friday with New York Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith.

DEFINE THE IMPACT
The second need is to define community impacts, such as to municipal and school taxes, charities and local businesses. Douglas said there should be a better understanding of that when the council holds its next meeting, at 10 a.m. Dec. 8 at the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce.

MARKET SITE, WORKERS
The partners will also develop a plan to market the Pfizer facilities and workforce. There is reason to be hopeful, in that regard, because of the quality of those buildings and employees, Douglas said.

It is critical to have a partnership with the owner, he said.

"This morning, we heard we have that relationship."

David Champagne, managing director of Pfizer Rouses Point facility, said the company takes the closures very seriously and will do whatever it can to help.

REVISED TIMETABLE
Champagne said on Tuesday that the company's clinical supply and packaging operation in the Town of Plattsburgh will close within the next couple of months, the Chazy animal-research facility will shut down by the middle of next year, and Chem Pilot in Rouses Point will close by the end of 2010.

Those moves will result in the loss of about 22 jobs in Plattsburgh, 200 in Chazy and 100 in Rouses Point, Champagne said.

Severance-package details are being developed for the employees, he said, and will involve talks with union representatives.

Champagne said it was not within his purview to say what will happen to the animals housed in Chazy.

He doesn't anticipate any additional layoffs at the Rouses Point manufacturing facility before its scheduled turnover to Akrimax Pharmaceuticals, slated for July 1. The 300 or so jobs there will be spared.

OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK
The Transition Council will be chaired by Chazy Town Supervisor Staub Spiegel, with staffing and other assistance from the chamber.

He said the town is obviously facing a difficult situation.

"This is brand new for Chazy to be facing such a large layoff."

Spiegel believes the partners will be able to work together to turn a large negative into a real positive.

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Bill Owens said he believes it is up to community leaders to develop a plan, after which elected officials can help implement that plan.

"I predict we will have good success before these closures in 2010," he said.

RIPPLE EFFECT
Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Bernie Bassett said area communities are going to feel a ripple effect from Pfizer's decision — that is inevitable when millions of dollars leave the local economy.

The good news is there is a highly skilled, highly professional workforce to attract new business, Bassett said

Village of Rouses Point Mayor George Rivers said the announcement erased some of the positive feelings that developed when the Wyeth facilities were acquired by Akrimax.

"Well, the smile I had is sort of disappearing."

The rapid assembly of the Transition Council is a reason for optimism, he said; if its members work together as well as the Wyeth transition group, success will follow.

"The only thing I have to say is, let's go forward. We will do it."

E-mail Dan Heath at: dheath@pressrepublican.com

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