Chapter 157:Nobody likes moving frequently.

"Mr. Brock, take a look! In the two plans I have so far, the locations for the processing plants are fixed. I plan to place the meat processing plant in Memphis, Tennessee, and the corn processing plant near Kane County in Illinois."

"The transportation distance from the cattle near Cedar Mountain, Texas to the processing plant in Memphis is approximately 717 kilometers one way; while the poultry from Douglas, Georgia, and Fitzgerald to Memphis is about 680 kilometers one way..."

"At present, it's not as convenient here as it is in Mississippi. However, on one hand, I consider the convenience of egg supply there, and furthermore, for the future, areas near Memphis like Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri are important agricultural and livestock production areas. Building the factory here means during the expansion phase, there would be no need to build additional plants or relocate entirely. We could directly expand on the existing factory's foundation..."

Listening to Montgomery speak eloquently, Carter had no objections. Mississippi, as he described, was convenient now but troublesome later. Locations further south, coupled with the state's infrastructure, would significantly affect future supplies.

However, Memphis was different. As the largest city in Tennessee, it was not only close to several major raw material production areas but also centrally located in the United States, making both land and air transportation relatively convenient. However, choosing this location meant heavy reliance on air transportation...

And also...

"Mr. Gaines, from your perspective, are you planning to make Memphis the central hub of the supply chain, radiating outward in the future? This idea is fine, but I have some concerns, particularly about population outflow."

Carter chuckled, passing a cigarette to Montgomery before directly addressing the issue:

"Looking at the current situation of my hometown folks, employee-wise, I'll undoubtedly be using a lot of Georgians. Expanding the stores isn't much of a problem, especially since our initial targets are major cities. It's unrealistic for them to move to those cities solely based on store jobs. Moreover, the restaurant industry has high turnover rates. We're currently using full-time staff, but in the future, we'll likely transition to a model similar to McDonald's, with a mix of full-time and part-time workers..."

"But it's different for the processing centers; these are fixed factories. They can gather a large number of personnel, and Tennessee's housing prices are definitely lower than those in major cities. Suppose I send three hundred workers to the processing center. Maybe a few years later, when they've saved up some money and the economy improves slightly, they might not come back."

"I personally don't care if they leave or not, but the city government does. Especially since they can't use administrative orders to stop population migration, if residents leave in large numbers, it's not good news for them. Three hundred workers could take away three hundred families, thousands of people! You understand the background of HT company; in this respect, I have to consider the situation in Pearson city..."

"On this issue, do you have any thoughts?"

Population migration is a sensitive topic in the United States. Legally, there's no way to prohibit citizens from moving freely between states. However, practically speaking, almost no city government wants a large exodus of residents. After all, when people leave, the city might disappear...

Mayors and council members would all be out of a job collectively. This situation is something local governments don't want to see...

Although theoretically, when HT company's employees have saved enough money to buy houses elsewhere, the company's scale will definitely increase. At that point, with a larger workforce, and for easier management, it won't be possible to have mostly Georgians like today.

Recruiting some local employees to solve local employment issues is necessary. But HT company can't escape Pearson's influence, while Forest Bank can't escape either! It can't run away! Without a place to deposit, what's the point of calling it a savings bank?!

Moreover, a large outflow of Pearson's population will directly affect Forest Bank's deposit issues and the resulting revenue issues. Considering both feelings and interests, Carter doesn't want to fall out with the Pearson city government. So, how to quietly help the Pearson government restrict employee outflows is something he needs to carefully consider...

"On this issue, I think it's better to relax than to tighten. Or rather, I don't have any good solutions."

Hearing Carter mention this sensitive issue, Montgomery also scratched his head in distress. If even the law can't stop it, how could a small company like yours hope to control them?

"The issue in front is not significant. At least within three years, it's unlikely that they'll have enough savings to buy a house. Even if they save for a down payment on a mortgage, it'll take at least three years, assuming house prices don't rise. But with the current inflation rate, this is impossible."

"Let's conservatively say four years. In other words, it's only possible for a large number of personnel to move and settle externally after four years. Before this, for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and such, they'll still have to return to Pearson."

"Then, let's see if this money that flows back and the taxes our company pays can give the Pearson city government some extra money for development and construction. If the hometown is well developed and there are more job opportunities, who would want to leave their hometown? At least before they have enough savings to settle elsewhere, they'll come back often to visit, under the influence of hometown sentiment, right?"

"Hmm..."

Carter, with his chin resting on his hand, carefully pondered Montgomery's final words:

Ultimately, Carter felt that he had been somewhat overly influenced by future marketing slogans or sayings like "Americans love moving." While it's true that Americans move a lot, it doesn't mean they really enjoy moving frequently...