V&M Issue

[Towntalk]

UPDATE:

Youngstown mayor reports progress in V&M land dispute
http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/aug/20/mayor-of-youngstown-reports-progress-in-vampm/

Two facts that come out of the article:

Melfi: "Boundaries are an issue. I'm willing to listen. ... I'm still not in favor of moving boundaries. The deal is very important. For that I'm willing to listen."

"I may have to be receptive to things I don't like", he said. "It's a good old-fashioned border dispute."

The final decision on that issue rests with Girard City Council, and a majority of councilmen don't object to giving up the 80 acres of vacant contaminated property to save the project.

And:

For his part, V&M's Roger Lindgren told the two mayors at the private meeting Wednesday: Settle the dispute before August 28, or the company will look elsewhere for its potential $970 million expansion project with empthesis on: the company will look elsewhere for its potential $970 million expansion project.

If Melfi keeps digging in his heels and August 28 comes and goes without a deal, given the amount of state money that Youngstown has received will have to be repaidm and state officials will have second thoughts about any future investment in the city.

Further, state officials will have second thoughts about Girard.

Info from the V&M Star web site:

V & M STAR is North America's leading producer of seamless tubular products mainly dedicated to oil and gas applications. Its operations are based at three sites: One in Youngstown, Ohio, including an electric arc furnace and a rolling mill, an other in Houston, Texas, with heat treatment and threading facilities, and the third located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, with heat treatment facilities and customized products for sour service. The annual output capacity is approximately 500,000 metric tons of finished tubular products, of which 66% are OCTG. Other products include Line Pipe, Standard Pipe, Coupling Stock and Mechanical Tube.

[Towntalk]

According to the news, the two cities have until next friday to solve the problem. So far, from the reports I've seen, the two sides are nowhere near a solution.

One report said that Girard City Council may step in and act if the Mayor doesn't.

Girard council works to secure V&M deal

http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/aug/19/girard-council-works-to-secure-vampm-deal/

[jay]

Why can't the city of Girard and Youngstown easily work out a solution to the V&M property acquisition mess?