Oconee-Michelin a deal still undone

Hope and expectation remain for Oconee County to acquire a Michelin North America plant. But the deal has yet to be completed, even though County Council last night completed actions on its part to extend the carrot to the rabbit that is Michelin. The council went through a required public hearing and final reading of financial incentives, including a fee in place of a tax. And there were optimistic comments from both the county’s economic development recruiter and a representative from Michelin in Greenville. Michelin’s Roy Chamlee said, “We have good feelings about the county. I think there’s nothing else that the county could that would be of value in terms of trying to bring this together….We’re at the stage right now where we feel they are beginning to come together where we’ll be able to make a decision here in the next couple of months. I know there is a schedule that is in place. We’re hoping that this will be a good decision and that we’ll be coming to Oconee County.” And if  Michelin locates in Oconee, the county has a spot already designated at its Golden Corner Commerce Park on South Carolina 59. Fair Play resident Ryan Honea, speaking during last night’s hearing, said he and other life-long residents of his community would be delighted to have Michelin.