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Bear Creek quiet about expansion plans By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Although Bear Creek Corp. officials made mention of local expansion plans and 100 new jobs at a public meeting Wednesday, they declined afterwards to provide details. "I don't know if we're prepared at this point to publicly identify the projects," said Bill Ihle, senior vice president for Bear Creek's parent company, Yamanouchi Consumer Inc. Ihle and Bear Creek Vice President Scott Anderson spoke briefly at the Jackson County Commission meeting on Wednesday morning. At one point, Ihle mentioned, "holiday gift expansion" but didn't provide commissioners with additional information. He also alluded to the creation of 100 additional jobs locally. The two men were on hand to encourage the board to adopt an ordinance approving the expansion of Medford's Urban Growth Boundary Enterprise Zone to include Bear Creek's Medford campus. Ihle said Medford Mayor Lindsay Berryman included Bear Creek's Medford campus in the enterprise zone more than six weeks ago. However, County Administrator Sue Slack said Bear Creek's campus is situated on both city and county land, and commissioners needed to approve the city's decision. "(Being included in the zone) makes very good sense," Ihle said. "It really gives us a strong selling point." Commissioners unanimously adopted the ordinance and voiced their support of Bear Creek's and its contributions to the local economy. "We are competing with every other county in the United States for jobs. This is a no-brainer, folks," Ric Holt said. "You're not dealing with someone that's an unknown," Jack Walker said. "I think this is the kind of thing the public deserves." Medford's Urban Growth Boundary Enterprise Zone is used as an incentive to encourage businesses to rebuild or improve. Businesses located within the zone receive a property tax exemption on improvements for three to five years. After the meeting, Ihle said any future improvements or expansion at the Medford campus will be taken from the company's five-year strategic plan. That plan, he added, includes new equipment, new buildings and new technology. He declined to provide further details. Anderson said the commissioner's approval paves the way for future improvement projects. "It also sends a very positive message to our parent company," Anderson said. "It's really going to mean a lot." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.