Officials Ramping Up Employment Services Ahead of Larson Boat Layoffs

LITTLE FALLS -- Larson Boat Group announced last week it's closing the Little Falls manufacturing plant and moving operations to Pulaski, Wisconsin. The move will impact 141 workers at the plant who must decide whether to move with their job or find another career.

Carol Anderson is the Executive Director of Community Development of Morrison County. She says they've been working behind the scenes to prepare for an influx of workers looking to find new jobs...

We've been maneuvering around here to make sure that we have funds for displaced workers, so those that do get laid off will have the best funding opportunities available for re-training.

Anderson says the good news is that there are jobs available in the central Minnesota area...

The job market is very tight in the surrounding area and anyone who is going to be displaced by this should be able to find employment.  The Workforce Center in Little Falls is engaged and the state will be engaged shortly, too.  It's an effort to make sure we will be there to help these people.

Anderson says they are working with a large company who is looking to buy the Little Falls facility and, while she can't divulge who the company is, she says they are interested in hiring many of the Larson Boat Group workforce.

Larson announced they will be closing the Little Falls plant and moving the operations in the first quarter of 2017.