Obama official visits Connersville

Fox 59 … By Russ McQuaid

Mayor Leonard Urban of Connersville said Monday that he expects a positive report from a top official of the Obama administration’s Department of Labor after a recent visit to Fayette County to check on the progress of a proposed Carbon Motors factory.

Carbon Motors has a $310 million loan request pending with the U.S. Department of Energy. The company wants to begin building the next generation of American police car three years after receiving federal money.

Urban said Jay Williams, Executive Director of the Labor Department’s Office of Recovery for Auto Communities, was impressed with Connersville’s commitment to clean up and maintain a former Visteon plant on the city’s northern outskirts while waiting for a tenant. Carbon Motors has begun refurbishing the plant.

“At steady state, we’ll have about 1,550 employees working in this building and then we’ll also have a bunch of suppliers who will be doing work for us outside” said Stacy Stephens, Carbon Motors Director of Marketing.

“This is the world’s first purpose built police car. It’s going to have a much lower total cost of ownership, provide a 40 percent improvement in fuel economy and make our officers safer and more efficient in their duties”

Stephens said the company has already received orders for more than 20,000 vehicles from more than 500 law enforcement agencies in all 50 states.

Carbon Motors promises the first police car will roll off the assembly line 36 months after the Department of Energy signs off on its $310 million federal loan.

1. 

   Spike says:

   January 18, 2012 at 3:29 am

   We all will believe it when we see it.. The hardest part to swallow is the 36 months after they get the money.. WOW, really has anyone checked the current status of employment in Connersville? MR. URBAN, We need jobs now!!!!

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2. 

   EZFOX says:

   January 8, 2012 at 1:12 am

   If this is such a good deal, why don`t they sell stock instead of asking the feds. for a handout?

   reply