"A temporary shutdown is a permanent shutdown".
Those the words of Lima Task Force Chairman and Lima Mayor David Berger during a Task Force Lima meeting Wednesday.
Also discussed was the potential for a couple hundred layoffs later this year.
The Joint Systems Manufacturing Center is entering a critical stage as it pertains to its future.
The Defense Department appears serious about another round, possibly two of 'Base Realignment and Closure" moves.
The J-S-M-C was kept off that closure list in 2005.
The problem facing the facility is Abrams tanks are the plants lifeblood, they make other products, but Abrams tanks pay the bills.
Plant Manager Keith Deters says they are transitioning from rebuilding one point one tanks per day down to point-65. Later this year that falls to point-2.
The plant has never been below point-5.
Deters was recently in Washington looking for 181 million dollars to secure Abrams work thru 2014, but even if that's okayed it put Abrams work at the bare minimum, five tanks a month and at that rate Deters says there could be a couple hundred more layoffs.
The Task Force again wants to be on the offensive like they were in 2005, not wanting to be on the defensive, playing a wait-and-see game.
They will stress again the J-S-M-C's one-of-a-kind capabilities and what a shutdown would mean.
The Task Force says Governor Kasich has agreed to become engaged in the defense spending issue in Ohio.
Invitations to visit the plant are still being extended to high ranking members of Congress and a formal invitation has been sent to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to visit the J-S-M-C.
