Some email response to the NewsPress article "Glass Half Full"

Hello Mr. Brown,
After reading the article Mercury Glass Half Full, I felt compelled to send you this e-mail. I work at the Mercury Fond du lac facility and will have 35 years in this October. I take great offense in some of the things you mention, especially your stated goal of taking the Fond du lac jobs and bringing them to Stillwater. I feel that you and your team are very shortsighted & selfish ! I can understand trying to preserve the jobs you have, but to actively pursue taking away the livelihood's of upwards of 2,000 people is simply irresponsible ! Do you understand what that would do to our community ? Do you even care ?? I am very surprised and saddened that a chamber official from another community would want to be so destructive for your own gain. I understand that things are bad, they are bad everywhere, but step back and decide is this really the right thing to do to another community ?

The other thing you mentioned is that the quality of the Stillwater plant is second to none, even other Merc plants. Have you ever even been to our facility ? Do you have data to support this ? I think not and I believe those are frivolous & unwarranted comments.

In closing I believe that Fond du lac will retain our facility because our people will come through knowing the ramifications to our community. In the future I would ask you to take care of your own and not intrude on the livelihood's of people in other communities.

Regards - Paul Crane


Larry Brown's reply:

Mr. Crane
Thank you for your comments. I certainly understand your concerns as they are the same concerns that our Mercury Marine employees, as well as our city, are facing.

Larry R. Brown
President/C.E.O.
Stillwater Chamber of Commerce



Good morning Mr. Brown,
My name is Richard Baldwin and on the 8/20 I will have worked for MerCruiser for 25 years. I'm hoping I can eventually retire from this company that I take great pride in. I just want to take a minute to thank you and everyone that is involved in trying to keep MerCruiser right here in Stillwater. From what I have heard our local and State officials have really stepped up with their efforts to keep MerCruiser where it belongs here in Stillwater. Keep up the good work, I'm very proud to be an Oklahoman. Thanks for all your efforts.

Sincerely,
Richard Baldwin
Quality Group Leader
Measurement Services
Mercury/MerCruiser