Recently announced layoffs by one of the area's largest employers could serve as a warning that Kosciusko County should not become complacent about low unemployment, the head of the chamber of commerce said Tuesday.

Charlie Sparks, president of the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce, said of Zimmer's announcement last week to move approximately 200 jobs to Puerto Rico for financial reasons: "The restructuring that they're going through is a good example of why this community can't afford to rest on its laurels and expect the future to take care of itself."

Kosciusko County needs to work on encouraging economic development and on being attractive to new industry, Sparks said.

Other communities in Indiana are quite serious about attracting new industry and business to their areas, and the effort has become extremely competitive, he said.

"We can't take our healthy economy for granted," Sparks said. "We have to be aware that there are going to be times when industries go through cycles ... and that (layoffs) are going to happen in certain areas."

Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said he was disappointed that the employees were facing layoffs and that the jobs were moving out of the area.

"My reaction is that jobs are people and people are what make up this community," he said. "It doesn't make any difference if it's Zimmer or whoever. Zimmer's been a good corporate neighbor for a number of years."

Wiggins said he hoped that other industries in the county could absorb some of the people laid off from Zimmer, and that former Zimmer employees will be able to stay in the community.

Loss of jobs, employees and income may not directly affect tax-based services in the county unless it affects real estate, said Rande Thorpe, business manager for Warsaw Community Schools. Most tax revenues used to fund school and county offices come from property taxes, he said.

Still, he said, "anytime you lose tax base, it's negative, and I think it could have a negative effect. ... Obviously I'm concerned about it. I'm not panicking."

Zimmer employees, both former and current, refused to discuss the situation for publication, even if they were promised anonymity. They said they were either afraid of jeopardizing their jobs or jobs of friends or acquaintances, or they were afraid of losing termination packages if they were laid off.

Sparks emphasized the positive aspects of the situation: "Zimmer is still a significant employer and a significant contributor to the local economy," he said.

He said that, contrary to rumors that have been circulating in the area, he has no information that other companies in the orthopedic industry are considering similar moves.

In fact, Sparks said, some companies in the area, such as Maple Leaf Farms Inc., are expanding, and some new industry is moving into the county.

The new jobs won't necessarily be the same type of jobs that laid-off Zimmer employees will be leaving, Sparks said, but new jobs will be available.

"There are some positive things in the works as well," he said. [[In-content Ad]]