IMMIGRATION JOBS MOVING OUT OF FRANKLIN COUNTY AFTER WATER MAIN LEAK
By Gregory J. Lamoureux
County Courier
The Vermont Service Center for United States Customs and Immigration Service, located on Lower Weldon Street in St. Albans has been virtually vacant for the better part of two months after a water main leak flooded the first floor of the complex.
Lillian Meunier, the president of the union workers formerly located at the St. Albans location, said about 200 contract employees have been moved to the Essex Junction location.
“This created a hardship for many employees due to the increased commute,” Meunier said in a written statement. “Dozens of employees were unable to make the move to the Essex location due to conflicts with childcare, they need to remain close to other dependent family members, and difficulty making a lengthy commute due to winter driving conditions.”
Meunier said that others who did return to work, did so under “fear and duress” of the possible loss of unemployment as a result of refusing employment.
The facility involved in St. Albans is known as the “Tabor” building, which is the largest building in the Lower Weldon Street complex.
Meunier said that management notified employees on January 29th, informing them that the Essex facility would be the new permanent location for these employees, at least for the foreseeable future.
“The employees who had been unable to return to their jobs were told they were required to return to Essex by February 4th, 2021 or face potential termination,” Meunier said.
Meunier said the effect will be felt far beyond the two hundred employees. It will also likely affect the local economy with the loss of good-paying employment, employees patronizing businesses during their lunch breaks and after work running errands at St. Albans area businesses.
A request for comment from all three members of Vermont’s delegation in Washington was not immediately returned.
According to property records, the building is owned by Elman Vermont Investors, an LLC with a mailing address in Huntington, NY. The assessed value of the building and the 7.47 acres of land is valued at just over $14.4 million.
