Wetumpka Mayor: Jobs, Tourism, Revitalization Causes City Expansion
The city of Wetumpka continues its efforts to try and expand. But do residents believe the city’s vision is enough to keep people there permanently? Wetumpka has several projects going on including the revitalization project in downtown; for years, we’ve also seen the city work on making Wetumpka a tourist destination; And the latest: the expansion of one of their industrial companies. Met-Tech Machining Incorporated is expanding. It’s a $700,000 expansion to the Wetumpka business that makes metal using computerized technology. While it’s only adding 4 jobs, Mayor Jerry Willis says every job counts in the city of only 8,000 people — especially when they’re high-paying specialized jobs… “If you look at our population against Montgomery’s population that would be equivalent to having roughly 100 jobs or more added in Montgomery but I think we’ll feel an effect of this,” Said Mayor Willis. It’s an effect that may be a slow and steady process, but hopes to meet one of Willis’ goals: expand Wetumpka’s economy. Before bringing people in permanently, Willis says you have to start by providing attractions to visitors. He says the Windcreek Casino alone brought in 3 million people to the city last year not to mention hundreds of jobs. “The governor and all of the people that’s trying to knock it out. It’s bringing in jobs. We need jobs. They’re just trying to knock out a lot of jobs,” Said Wetumpka resident, Nausicca Milner. Another job attraction? The city’s downtown revitalization project — the first of three phases is set to be complete by the end of this year. While Roderick Nelson is skeptical how long the project will take, he says it all comes down to one thing — if it brings jobs, he’ll take it. “Anything that helps the economy grow you know it’ll help with taxes and all that stuff and that’s great in my opinion,” Said Nelson, another Wetumpka resident. Willis says the city has had a tough time bringing in new jobs the last few years so he hopes with all these projects going on, that will attract people stay permanently. Willis says there are more projects in the works that will bring jobs to the city, but he says he has to be tight-lipped for now. He hopes to release more information in the coming weeks.
