Henry Schienebeck, executive director of Great Lakes Timber Professionals, tells Newschannel 7 his Rhinelander-based group is working on forming a co-op with the City of Wisconsin Rapids and union workers that would keep everyone in their current jobs.
Schienebeck says the closure is a less obvious but significant loss to forestry jobs in the state. Which is why Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Shane Blaser also believes it’s important to take action and find a buyer.
“We’re also concerned with the indirect, the thousands of employees in the logging and trucking industry that are going to be added to that direct impact of closing the mill,” Blaser said.
Schienebeck says saving the mill is important to the logging industry and the health of Wisconsin’s forests.
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