Leaders of Wilmington and Clinton County vow not to let their community become a "ghost town" in the months and years ahead.
The reaction was in response to news members of the community formally heard Monday and had feared since May 28. DHL was dropping its domestic ground and air packaging services.
That will mean the loss of thousands of jobs sooner than expected at ABX Air, ASTAR Air Cargo and DHL at the DHL Air Park in Wilmington
Many of those will disappear at the end of January. Some international operations will continue until DHL reaches and agreement with UPS to move that work to Louisville.
Words like "devastating," "disappointing" and "catastrophic" immediately cropped up in conversations around town.
"It's not entirely unexpected, but certainly disappointing," said Wilmington Mayor Dave Raizk.
Clinton County Commission president Randy Riley added, "We've been waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think it hit the ground today."
"It's not good news," said John Graber, president of ABX Air, as he emerged from one of several meetings with employees to deliver the news about their cloudy future.
Graber said the tone of the meetings was somber, not only because of the pending job losses, but because of the fact the workers have had 160 operational days with 99% on-time deliveries for DHL.
He said once the DHL work disappears he believes ABX Air can still stay alive.
"If today we have 8,000 employees, the best case in the future would be a couple of thousand employees – a smaller airline and a smaller maintenance organization and some of ancillary service we provide around the world," Graber added.
Mayor Raizk and Commissioner Riley said they would both work aggressively to try and market the Air Park – the largest private airport in the country – to new users and to DHL for its international business.
Raizk said he sensed a little window of hope in the DHL announcement.
"They were hoping to have a renegotiated deal with UPS done by the end of the year, but if they did not have that deal that they would seek other options," the Mayor said. "We would encourage DHL to certainly look at an option that would involve the two air carriers that are existing here at the Wilmington Air Park."
Added Riley, "That airport will still be here and it certainly is available for anyone who wants to utilize it – DHL, ABX, ASTAR – anybody that flies an airplane. We'll talk to them and we're anxious to hear from them so that we can continue our business here. It's a wonderful facility. It has been and will be."
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland plans to meet Tuesday morning with members of the Wilmington Area Economic Task Force.
Mayor Raizk said he will press the Governor for funds to provide health care for displaced workers, retaining, education and local governments.
He said he also hopes DHL would give the city the air park land for redevelopment.
The impact on municipal budgets is severe.
Spending in Clinton County has declined since May, meaning fewer dollars coming in via tax revenues.
The county faces a projected $2.5 million budget shortfall next year.
"It will probably mean jobs," Riley said. "I don't know how we can do it without cutting jobs."
Raizk said because the city annexed the Air Park in January and is getting $2.5 million in revenue this year, layoffs aren't likely.
However, he added all spending will be closely reviewed.
The ripple effect will be felt throughout Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana, where employees who work at the Air Park live. However, the biggest impact is likely to be in Wilmington and Clinton County.
Marla Stewart sat quietly eating her lunch and reading the DHL news released next to her store "Books & More" on West Main Street.
She's been active in the "Save The Jobs" campaign. Her husband, Dan, works at DHL.
"This is something that has hung over our head since May and I think the uncertainty is what has stressed people out," she said, trying to remain optimistic.
Stewart said she and her daughter know of 25 businesses that have left the Wilmington area in the past year. She added she hopes her's isn't next.
"I've been here 12 years and it hasn't been easy, so with that many jobs leaving the area I am actually thinking that we may not be able to keep our job open," Stewart said.
Raizk said he thinks it's possible that one in five Wilmington area businesses will have a tough time in the days ahead.
Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce President Karen Haley compared Monday's developments to a death in the family.
"You know what the result is going to be," Haley said. "You prepare for it, but it's still hard to accept."
If one in five businesses does close, Haley said that would mean a reduction of about 60 to 70 of the chamber's 330 members.
"It's still a catastrophic blow," she added.
Like many others, Haley says she will continue to take a glass-half-full attitude into the future.
"We are resilient and I'm hoping that we keep our forces and collectively help each other out," Haley stated.
Riley echoed that thought by saying, "We will bring more people in and continue being one of the finest small communities in the nation."
"People have said to us, 'Mayor, you're going to have a ghost town,'" Raizk added. "I'm going on the record right now and I've gone before – we're not going to have a ghost town. This is a great community. There's wonderful people that live here."
"Will we have some hard times? Yes we will, but with the spirit of this community and our foundation of community involvement we can make this work," said the Mayor.
