People wonder who's buying the mill and what business they'd bring
ONTONAGON -- Ontonagon is abuzz with the news Thursday evening of a potential buyer for the former Smurfit-Stone Paper Mill.
It was the hot topic at Syl’s Café. As customers waited for their food, they asked each other who might be buying the mill and what, if any, business they'd bring.
There's still a lot to learn about the deal, but residents are hoping for the best.
"We need the economy here in Ontonagon, so I’d like to see it start back up," say Clifton Ward.
"It’d be the best thing for this town and this area that could happen," says Nora Ray.
Nearly 200 people lost their jobs when the mill closed last December.
Thursday, Village Manager Scott Frazer was sharing in the excitement about a purchase agreement between Smurfit and an unknown buyer. Still, he's unsure what to make of it until he hears more.
"I’ve been in contact with the governor's office, and they told me that Smurfit-Stone has a future announcement, which they'll release at their discretion," says Frazer.
That announcement could be the news most people have hoped for all year, but it won't stop them from exploring other options.
"Whatever happens with the mill is something we can't locally manipulate," Frazer says. "We need to work on the things we can manipulate, and that is happening. There are a lot of really good things happening."
For now, residents continue to wait for word on the sale.
A deal could be finalized by the end of the year.
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