Economic Divide Marks Service Worker Centers in New Hampshire
Story by Justin Franz, Published by PatchworkNation.org on Feb. 25, 2011
Ten years ago, back when Melinda Kennett's son and daughter were young, smoke came out of those stacks.
But not today.
The once bustling mill town of Groveton, New Hampshire, located in Coos County along the border with Vermont, is a shadow of its former self. For generations logs came in from the “North Country”, feeding the community's economic heart and soul – the paper mills. That was until they shutdown.
In April 2006, Groveton Paper Board closed its doors, laying off 108 people. A year and a half later, Wausau Paper followed suit, laying off 303 people. And just down tracks, in Gorham and Berlin, the story is the same.
“It's shut our town down,” said Kennett, Groveton's tax collector. “That is what we had for industry... Our little stores, our little Ma and Pops, they're struggling.”
Since 2000, New Hampshire's northern most county has lost 2,000 jobs, over three quarters of which were in the paper making industry. It's a devastating blow to a place were the average income is just over $34,000 annually.
The Recession-proof South
Further south, in Merrimack County, population 148,161 – more then four times Coos' 31,971 – the story is much different. Both are considered Service Worker Centers in Patchwork Nation, but the struggles of Coos and relative stability of Merrimack highlight how those Centers that have been able to diversify their economies have fared far better in the Great Recession.
Home to Concord, the state capital, Merrimack County has weathered the economic storm far better then its northern counterpart, thanks in part to stable government and health care jobs, Concord Chamber of Commerce President Timothy Sink said.
“To a large degree we don't feel the economic issues that other communities do,” Sink said. “We feel the pinch of the economy with other industries, but not as bad.”
Sink said that a variety of things have allowed Concord’s economy to remain relatively unscathed. The city has been so stable that Forbes Magazine once called the city “recession proof,” a fact well noted on the chamber of commerce website.
Besides being the center of government – responsible for 8,500 jobs in the Concord area – Merrimack County has boasts a large number of manufacturing jobs, specificity high tech. According to the New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau, in 2009 the state had over 4,000 high tech firms – companies that are creating innovative or new products – and employed over 50,000 people. That is a drop of 4,000 jobs from 2008 and 15,000 from its all time high in 2000, but it doesn't deter Sink.
“No one has dodged the bullet completely,” said Sink, remaining positive about some of the issues in his area. “There's been layoffs, but if you look at southern New Hampshire, you'll see some good numbers.”
It's an economy that is getting healthier according to Sink, who said that during the past five years housing construction had hit a lull, but in the last year it's once again on the rise.
Despite the relative comfort of the southern part of the state, the economy will be the big issue come next year's presidential primaries in both in Concord and in the struggling “North Country,” according to Andrew Smith, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.
Although New Hampshire's unemployment rate is only at 5.4 percent – nearly half of the national percentage – it is still unusually high for the state, which often hovers around 3 percent. It's an issue that could play well for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who, according to Smith, holds 40-point lead with likely Republican voters. Smith said Romney's more moderate views could also help win votes in an area with a constantly changing electorate.
“This is a dynamic state [and] the voters are not the same every time,” he said, adding that the areas growing popularity has a lot to do it.
And with two thirds of the state's population, the area around Concord will be central to deciding who wins that race.
The Emptying of the “North Country”
Population also speaks to the vastly different worlds between these two neighboring Service Worker Centers. Between 2000 and 2009, Merrimack County saw a population increase of 9.4 percent. On the other hand, in Coos County, the population had fallen by 4.9 percent as young people leave towns like Groveton looking for better opportunities to the south. Young people like Kennett's son and daughter who now live in Concord and Manchester.
“Coos County is really hurting,” Kennett said of the area that is now counting on its rugged scenery to bring in tourists, something she knows isn't the answer to all their problems.
“That helps, but it doesn't cure it... We need industry here, we need some good jobs,” she said.
Industry and business would be more attracted to the area, according to Kennett, if there was more technical infrastructure, like high speed internet and better cell service, but because the “North Country” is often overlooked by leaders in the south, it's unlikely to happen anytime soon.
“People here are hard workers,” Kennett said. “All they want to do is get up in the morning and go to work and so if something comes here, they'll have good workers.”
People she sees everyday at work in the Town Office on State Street, just a few blocks away from the now cold paper mill. People who ponder their own future and that of their town.
“I know the paper mill isn't going to come back,” she said, “but I want to see smoke coming out of those stacks.”
Ten years ago, back when Melinda Kennett's son and daughter were young, smoke came out of those stacks.
But not today.
The once bustling mill town of Groveton, New Hampshire, located in Coos County along the border with Vermont, is a shadow of its former self. For generations logs came in from the “North Country”, feeding the community's economic heart and soul – the paper mills. That was until they shutdown.
In April 2006, Groveton Paper Board closed its doors, laying off 108 people. A year and a half later, Wausau Paper followed suit, laying off 303 people. And just down tracks, in Gorham and Berlin, the story is the same.
“It's shut our town down,” said Kennett, Groveton's tax collector. “That is what we had for industry... Our little stores, our little Ma and Pops, they're struggling.”
Since 2000, New Hampshire's northern most county has lost 2,000 jobs, over three quarters of which were in the paper making industry. It's a devastating blow to a place were the average income is just over $34,000 annually.
The Recession-proof South
Further south, in Merrimack County, population 148,161 – more then four times Coos' 31,971 – the story is much different. Both are considered Service Worker Centers in Patchwork Nation, but the struggles of Coos and relative stability of Merrimack highlight how those Centers that have been able to diversify their economies have fared far better in the Great Recession.
Home to Concord, the state capital, Merrimack County has weathered the economic storm far better then its northern counterpart, thanks in part to stable government and health care jobs, Concord Chamber of Commerce President Timothy Sink said.
“To a large degree we don't feel the economic issues that other communities do,” Sink said. “We feel the pinch of the economy with other industries, but not as bad.”
Sink said that a variety of things have allowed Concord’s economy to remain relatively unscathed. The city has been so stable that Forbes Magazine once called the city “recession proof,” a fact well noted on the chamber of commerce website.
Besides being the center of government – responsible for 8,500 jobs in the Concord area – Merrimack County has boasts a large number of manufacturing jobs, specificity high tech. According to the New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau, in 2009 the state had over 4,000 high tech firms – companies that are creating innovative or new products – and employed over 50,000 people. That is a drop of 4,000 jobs from 2008 and 15,000 from its all time high in 2000, but it doesn't deter Sink.
“No one has dodged the bullet completely,” said Sink, remaining positive about some of the issues in his area. “There's been layoffs, but if you look at southern New Hampshire, you'll see some good numbers.”
It's an economy that is getting healthier according to Sink, who said that during the past five years housing construction had hit a lull, but in the last year it's once again on the rise.
Despite the relative comfort of the southern part of the state, the economy will be the big issue come next year's presidential primaries in both in Concord and in the struggling “North Country,” according to Andrew Smith, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.
Although New Hampshire's unemployment rate is only at 5.4 percent – nearly half of the national percentage – it is still unusually high for the state, which often hovers around 3 percent. It's an issue that could play well for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who, according to Smith, holds 40-point lead with likely Republican voters. Smith said Romney's more moderate views could also help win votes in an area with a constantly changing electorate.
“This is a dynamic state [and] the voters are not the same every time,” he said, adding that the areas growing popularity has a lot to do it.
And with two thirds of the state's population, the area around Concord will be central to deciding who wins that race.
The Emptying of the “North Country”
Population also speaks to the vastly different worlds between these two neighboring Service Worker Centers. Between 2000 and 2009, Merrimack County saw a population increase of 9.4 percent. On the other hand, in Coos County, the population had fallen by 4.9 percent as young people leave towns like Groveton looking for better opportunities to the south. Young people like Kennett's son and daughter who now live in Concord and Manchester.
“Coos County is really hurting,” Kennett said of the area that is now counting on its rugged scenery to bring in tourists, something she knows isn't the answer to all their problems.
“That helps, but it doesn't cure it... We need industry here, we need some good jobs,” she said.
Industry and business would be more attracted to the area, according to Kennett, if there was more technical infrastructure, like high speed internet and better cell service, but because the “North Country” is often overlooked by leaders in the south, it's unlikely to happen anytime soon.
“People here are hard workers,” Kennett said. “All they want to do is get up in the morning and go to work and so if something comes here, they'll have good workers.”
People she sees everyday at work in the Town Office on State Street, just a few blocks away from the now cold paper mill. People who ponder their own future and that of their town.
“I know the paper mill isn't going to come back,” she said, “but I want to see smoke coming out of those stacks.”