'No simple short-term solutions' to Tyson closure, Lexington officials say

Lexington city officials on Friday said there are “no simple short-term solutions” to replace the jobs that will be lost when the Tyson Foods plant closes next month.

The plant, which is set to close Jan. 20, employs more than 3,200 people in the central Nebraska city of less than 11,000 people. A contractor called Fortrex that has a contract to sanitize the plant also announced it will shut down and lay off its entire local staff of 139 people.

The city in a news release said it will continue to work with state, federal and private organizations on a plan for recovery, but it also said there will be a “transition period” where people will need to find alternative employment or receive unemployment assistance.

In that vein, Gov.Jim Pillen said more than 740 workers attended the Rapid Response layoff services events at the Dawson County Fairgrounds on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Our state agencies will support these workers as long as there is a need,” Pillen said in a news release. “Our goal is to keep these hardworking individuals in Nebraska and in positions that help provide a good quality of life in our state.”

The Nebraska Department of Labor has scheduled additional rapid response layoff services sessions on Dec. 13 as well as a job fair at the Lexington Middle School. There also are job fairs planned Saturday at the middle school and Thursday at the Dawson County Fairgrounds.