Simmons reports creation of 93 new jobs in Decatur

— Simmons Foods has created 93 new jobs in Decatur since the company opened a pet food plant in Decatur, Jay Stallard reported during a public hearing held before Monday’s city council meeting.

Stallard, who works as a grants administrator for the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, explained that Simmons Foods applied for a $230,000 grant to improve the plant's parking area and roadway two years ago, and Monday’s public hearing was required to finishthe grant process.

One of the conditions of the grant was that Simmons Foods had to create 81 jobs at the pet food plant, Stallard said. The company reached the requirement of 81 jobs eight months ago, and as of Aug. 8, was employing 93 people.

“They created 10 more jobs than they anticipated in an economic downturn,” Stallard said.

The $230,000 only covered the cost of the dirt work for the parking lot and roadway project, Stallard said. Simmons Foods has spent more than $5 million on the Decatur petfood plant, he said.

Stallard also discussed the $265,000 grant the city is receiving for a new wastewater treatment plant generator during the public hearing.

The one megawatt diesel generator will keep the wastewater treatment plant running in the event of apower outage and will keep the city in compliance with their Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality permit.

City utilities director James Boston said that work on the concrete pad is under way and the generator is set to be delivered Friday.

Sports, Pages 11 on 08/15/2012