Guyton Says Good Things Happening With Gadsden Job Growth

Mayor Sherman Guyton says Gadsden is more than holding its own when it comes to job growth.

Tuesday, Guyton told the City Council about a new report by Headlight, an economic data research firm. “Fastest Growing Manufacturing Metros in 2014” ranks Gadsden third at 4 percent among the state’s 11 metropolitan statistical areas in percent of manufacturing employment growth in 2014.

The firm analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in developing the report.

The report said Gadsden was 70th in growth of the 322 metropolitan areas in the U.S. The Gadsden MSA includes all of Etowah County.

Tuscaloosa (fifth) and Auburn-Opelika (52nd) were the only two Alabama MSAs ahead of Gadsden.

In net new manufacturing jobs in 2014, Gadsden ranked fourth in the state with 200 jobs and 142nd among all MSAs. Tuscaloosa was first in the state at 28th, Montgomery was 76th and Auburn-Opelika was 119th.

Guyton said other reports released in the last year or two that looked at economic data showed the city’s economic growth was better than other areas, even during the recession.

“When you have good news, I think everyone needs to know it, because good news never seems to get out as the bad news,” Guyton said.

He said the city’s workforce development program helps to have a trained workforce and helps in attracting business and expanding local business.
By Andy Powell

Times Staff Writer