Mill closes paper machine, foiling governor's efforts

ST. MARYS - The Durango-Georgia Paper Company shut down its last paper-producing machine today -- a day after Governor Barnes announced a plan to save the mill. <br> <br> General manager Kenneth Bertram said the number three paper machine was closed to address several safety concerns. <br> <br> Democratic state Representative Charlie Smith of St. Marys said Barnes was not told about the decision to stop the machine until after he decided Wednesday to jointly fund a $100,000 study with Durango to try to save the mill and its 900 jobs. <br> <br> Snith told The Georgia Times-Union, ``I know he wasn&#39;t aware of the decision when he was meeting with them. He just shook his head after hearing the news.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Smith said an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspector expressed safety concerns about the machine while Barnes was meeting with Durango corporate officials from Mexico. <br> <br> Smith said the inspector&#39;s concerns were not made public, but they were serious enough to prompt the company to shut down the machine. <br> <br> The mill, one of Camden County&#39;s largest employers since 1941, is scheduled to close in mid-November.