Eagle Mountain leaders mobilize to help workers after Tyson closure

So now that Tyson Foods has announced its closure of its Eagle Mountain plant, what happens next for the 700-plus employees who will lose their jobs on or before Oct. 13? Leaders in the community, spearheaded by the Valley Crossroads Chamber of Commerce, already have plans in motion.

“When a company as big as Tyson decides to close its doors, it’s going to be profoundly felt throughout our community,” said Melissa Clark, CEO of the chamber and a member of the Eagle Mountain City Council. “There are hundreds of our residents who are employed at Tyson, but our community has worked hard to be prepared for emergencies — whether it’s an earthquake or a wildfire, or something like this.”

Clark said the Utah Department of Workforce Services has a representative come out to the chamber once a week, providing on-site job coaching and offering help for job-seekers.

“We have classes that are available within our community, we have digital classes that are available at the chamber in our computer lab, and we have so many wonderful residents that are already stepping forward to share job opportunities. The businesses of the Valley Crossroads Chamber of Commerce are eager to provide positions and assistance for a lot of these displaced workers.”

She said Abby Ivory, the economic development director for the city, is coordinating with DWS and Governor’s Office of Economic Development on job leads, and she’s even invited site selectors out to see the building “so we can get another business in there as soon as possible.”

“The chamber stands with the city and our residents and businesses,” she said, “to provide every necessary resource to get people working again. We take care of our own here and we want to make sure everyone knows we’re not going to stop looking for resources until we get everyone’s problems solved when it comes to jobs.”

Clark also addressed the issue and misconception about the tax incentives which Tyson was offered when it announced several years ago its plans to build the Eagle Mountain plant. She said Tyson, like any other development that gets these incentives from the government, wasn’t handed a stack of cash upfront.

“What happens is a business comes in and makes a major contribution to infrastructure, such as highways or additional power structures, and then every year, they can be reimbursed for some of the property taxes they’ve paid,” she said. “This is all based on past performance — they aren’t offered incentives on projected revenues, and Tyson will still be responsible for paying property taxes on that building until they sell or lease the space to someone else.”

Clark said these types of incentives have been lucrative for cities like Eagle Mountain. She points to Meta’s data center that launched in 2018. That company put in over $150 million in power infrastructure, running lines from Spanish Fork Canyon to its Eagle Mountain site, and adding a high-voltage substation that has provided power for businesses in the City Center, including a grocery store and eye clinic.

“All that’s down there is because of the investment from a business like Meta,” she said.