Goodyear Closure Affects Giving in Obion County
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Rob Adcock has been reaching out to his boss for days fighting for the Obion County chapter of the American Red Cross. He is the only paid employee that works there. He has been told August 1, will be his last day. That is when he said the office will shut their doors. “I think they had larger expectations especially from contributions from Goodyear,” added Adcock. Adcock admits most of the money used to run the mostly volunteer office came from the Union City Goodyear plant. He said the plant allowed employees to donate portions of their paycheck to the United Way. “Each year we’re awarded United Way funding. A large part of that funding comes from Goodyear,” added Adcock. Without that check, the office can not survive. Obion County officials said the Red Cross is not the only local organization that is suffering. He said Goodyear donated $25,000 worth of tires each year to the Union City Police Department and to the sheriff’s department. “We’re gonna have to raise taxes this year and that’s one thing were raising taxes for. We gotta come up with 25 grand,” said Obion County Mayor Benny McGuire. Mayor McGuire said Goodyear donated scholarship money to local universities and the Obion County Fair. He said he may never know all of the organizations Goodyear has given to but said he can feel it. “It’s a big dribble down effect. We won’t know the full impact for years,” added McGuire. Mayor McGuire said with all the recent changes in the county, property taxes are going up by 12 cents. As for the Red Cross, Adcock said he does not know if the local office will be moved elsewhere, but is waiting to hear back from the corporate office.
