State lawmakers optimistic after Detroit talks with GM leaders

LORDSTOWN

Valley lawmakers who traveled to Detroit this week to meet with General Motors executives left the meeting feeling optimistic that, at the very least, dialogue will continue with the automaker about the future of the GM Lordstown plant.

“I left with optimism that they’re looking at the plant, that they have significant investments in the plant,” said state Sen. Sean O’Brien of Bazetta, D-32nd, who made the trip with state Reps. Glenn Holmes of McDonald, D-63rd, and Michael O’Brien of Warren, D-64th. They met with the following GM executives, according to a news release: Dan Turton, North America vice president of public policy; Bryan R. Roosa, executive director of North America government relations; John K. Blanchard, director of local government relations; and Brian O’Connell, director of state government relations.

The elected officials requested the meeting to discuss the Lordstown plant with GM executives, in light of the challenges the plant recently has gone through. The Lordstown plant, which makes the Chevrolet Cruze compact car, has lost two of three shifts since the beginning of 2017, as Cruze sales have followed an industrywide trend of consumers preferring SUVs, trucks and crossover vehicles to small cars.

“We wanted to let them know that we were committed to working with them and the Valley is committed to working with GM, and we wanted them to hear from us face-to-face,” said Sean O’Brien.

Read more about the meeting in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.