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Commissioners discuss Smead WARN notices, land-bank training and Hocking Valley Scenic Trail procurement
Summary
County officials reported WARN Act notices for Smead layoffs beginning Dec. 1 with many positions eliminated by April 2026, described heightened state and regional engagement, recounted land-bank training and said a firm was selected to negotiate a contract for Hocking Valley Scenic Trail work to begin in early December.
Hocking County commissioners used the Oct. 23 meeting to update the public on economic development and community projects after a recent meeting with employers and regional partners.
Commissioners said WARN notices for Smead will trigger layoffs beginning Dec. 1, with a significant number of employees impacted and most separations expected by April 2026. Officials said the county and regional bodies, including Ohio Southeast and local community-development partners, have stepped up engagement and workforce-development planning. A county official reported that Smead shut down its facility to allow all employees to attend a meeting about next steps, an unusual level of employer engagement in WARN processing.
Separately, commissioners reported attending land-bank training in Marietta and noted examples from other counties where land banks are coordinated with economic development. The county's engineering staff conducted procurement interviews for the Hocking Valley Scenic Trail project, selected a firm and expected to begin negotiating a contract in early December with project work anticipated to start after contracting.
In administrative business, commissioners mentioned a brief fraud-related lock on SEPCO accounts affecting at least one county account; SEPCO had temporarily locked all accounts as a safety measure and county staff notified employees.
No formal board action requiring county appropriation for economic response was taken at the meeting; commissioners described ongoing coordination and next steps among regional partners and county staff.
