Emotions are decidedly mixed in Berlin over the announcement that the pulp mill will close.
Some see promise for the city.
Others just see the threat of unpaid bills, and the possibility of relocating.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein traveled to Berlin and filed this report.
Berlin has been bracing itself for the day the pulp mill would close....but nobody thought that day would come so soon.
Now that Fraser Paper has announced it will permanently close the mill and lay off 250 workers, the city's economic plans will be tested.
Since the plant's closure in 2001, community leaders have been trying to diversity Berlin's economy.
City Manager Pat McQueen says there are good reasons to be optimistic.
7:35 with this closing B. may no longer be a mill town, it will be now a town that has a state and federal prison....and brand new state park that has been developing here. So B. is in a state of transition. B. is turning a page. Yes, it's a very difficult thing to do, but it's a page we've got to turn.
Before Mill Workers Union President Gerry Coolaum turns any page, he says he wants to sort out what is going on.
He says he's not sure which members will loose their jobs.
Some senior pulp mill employees in Berlin may be able to bump junior workers at the paper mill in Gorham.
Coolaum says he's heard all the talk about new employment possibilities, but he can't say he's seen any actual jobs.
T.14
4:59 they want to put a federal prison up here. Well we've been waiting for years, where is it coming. When is it coming, where is it going. That gets going there is construction work.... They are talking about expanding the state prison. Let's do something. That's what I am waiting for. [Those are the only things I see coming.]
Even if those jobs do come through, the union boss says it's a short-term solution.
And Coolaum adds many of the workers are nearing retirement and unattractive to employers.
Berlin New Hampshire Security Office Manager Mark Balanger agrees prospects are dim.
T.9
9:25...Given the skill sets they have and what exists in this labor market, there is not a lot of matching. So some of these people may have to look at getting into hospitality. If we get that recreational RV center, maybe it will bring chain hotels, who knows. But these people may have to get trained to do things they have never thought of doing in their lives.
Kristine's husband has worked at the mill for two years.
Right now, he's not thinking about a change in profession.
Before the mill, he worked construction.
And Kristine says he plans to go back to it, despite the drawbacks.
T.12
1:05 so now he is faced with having to get back on the road and travel with the construction company and be all over ME, NH, MA, and living out of a suitcase...3:07 I'm not too excited about that. b/c that leaves me home with two little girls by myself, essentially Monday through Friday...seeing your kids two days out of 7 is a pretty big change when you are used to being home. So it will be hard.
Kristine says the family could pack up and move, but with relatives nearby, they have no interest.
If tourism does pick up she and her husband might try to make a living off it.
Not as employees, but as owners.
7:14 we've talked about opening a restaurant, a small maybe pub. So it's something we would both like to do....it's in the back of our minds...we have some big decisions to make, but first and foremost we have need to pay the bills and keep the kids insured.
Main St Café owner Jennifer Booth already has walked down the entrepreneurial road, and is glad she did.
While she worries the mill's closure could mean some lean months, long term she believes it's for the best.
T.11
5:06 B. already has a bad rap b/c of the smell, just b/c you are from that's where the mill is, it smells so bad. I think it will help bring more tourists. It's a great area with mountains and hiking, and people are already coming for that. So if you take out that negativity, it will be much better place.
Many residents point out the city survived the 2001 closure and layoffs.
And this time around is actually better positioned to absorb the sting.
But insurance broker Lorraine Gallagher knows difficult times are on the immediate horizon.
T.8
4:09 last time when the mill closed there were a couple of times where we paid premiums for folks. Or talked to the companies and got extensions for them...I love this community. I grew up here...we have a lot of care for the community...we'll do whatever we can to help.
Friday, state officials plan to meet in Berlin to discuss fast putting the expansion of the state prison on a fast track as well as installing high speed internet.
The mill is expected to close May 6th.
For NHPR News, I'm DG.
