Leaders demand community benefits agreement at BlueOval City site

MASON, Tenn. — Some residents are demanding a legally-binding community benefits agreement to secure a return on investment.

“Ford has been a good neighbor to West Tennessee, so far. But being a good neighbor is not a transactional experience,” said Eloise Thompson, resident of Mason.

The community coalition chose Juneteenth to unveil their feelings on Ford advancing BlueOval City, the company’s electric vehicle and battery manufacturing site.

Several representatives of BlueOval Good Neighbors took the podium to express their concerns.

“Mason is a majority black town. In 2022, when Ford was beginning to move in, our charter was at risk, which has silenced hundreds of black voices in the area,” said Virginia Rivers, Alderwoman of Mason.

The coalition is demanding a community benefits agreement from Ford that would secure racial and economic equity for West Tennessee.

In April, the coalition sent a formal invitation to Ford to come to the table and discuss the agreement, which, at the time, the company had not responded to the coalition.

We were informed by Ford that they released an article last month that addresses how they are working to protect the environment, including working with local community leaders.

One statement from the article reads, “Ford is prioritizing education, environmental protection, and local investments to ensure that West Tennessee residents benefit from the growth BlueOval City will bring.”

Just this year, BlueOval has had numerous job fairs along with Q&A’s regarding West Tennessee’s home builders and how to make housing more affordable.

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