Mill Chief Quits, Raising Area Concern

The superintendent of Boise Cascade Corp.’s sawmill abruptly quit his job last month, stirring fears the major employer in town could halt operations for good.

Ron Haviland resigned and no longer works for Boise Cascade in any capacity. David Fratzke, an acting human resources manager with the company, said no permanent replacement has been chosen.

Maintenance supervisor Lance Jones will be acting superintendent and an expert from the White City, Ore. plant will help out from time to time, Fratzke said.

Jones said he was concerned about what Haviland’s departure means for the future of the Cascade mill.

“There’s no guarantees in this industry anymore,” he said. “I haven’t heard of any layoffs coming.”

Last month, the McCall and Cascade chambers of commerce were presented a survey by the University of Idaho’s agricultural economics department that showed the mill’s closure would have an initial negative effect in Valley County of $27.3 million and an eventual effect of $43.2 million.

Boise Cascade’s Horseshoe Bend mill shut down in 1998, eliminating 44 jobs.