By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Chiefland businessman Stoney Smith said Friday he’s ready to start doing the site work for his new retail development at Bronson’s only traffic light but the biggest challenge may be finding employees to work there.

            Smith said the current political climate in Washington is paying people not to work which discourages them from finding gainful employment in the private sector.

            “Staffing is not the way it used to be. People are being paid $600 a week to stay home. It’s a big deal,” Smith said. “I encourage you to call your legislator at the federal level – U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott. Let them know this is ridiculous. This is going to shut down our country quicker than anything – can’t find any labor.”

            Smith, who is building a convenience store and gas station, package store, and Hardees Restaurant at the intersection of State Road 24 and U.S. 27A plans to remain open all night if he can find the employees to do it.

            “You have to have staffing. It’s a big deal now; it’s a really, really big deal with the government paying handouts. Maybe their intention is to buy votes but it doesn’t do anything for motivation of people to go back to work. I can get you a list of a dozen restaurants and stores. I’m not just blowing smoke at you. I can tell you it’s a big problem. If they don’t do something it’s going to get worse. They’re talking about $600 a week to sit home until the end of the year. We’re barely through the first quarter. You have three-quarters of a year left – come on.”

            “It’s very discouraging for someone who wants to grow stuff in the community. We’re doing other things in other counties and other stores; in some areas, it’s not as bad as others, but it’s a big issue right now. We’re not just talking about the $15 minimum wage. We’re talking about just finding people who will work,” Smith said.

            Smith said the Democrat-controlled House and Senate and the White House are pushing an agenda that motivates people to stay home rather than work for a paycheck. He said it can’t go on much longer without devastating consequences to the economy.

            Smith hopes to open his businesses in Bronson by the very end of the year at the latest but hopefully by the fall barring bad weather. He said he is using primarily local companies for development of the retail center.

“You never know. Hopefully, we won’t have weather delays,” he said. “We want to be positive. I know there are other businesses becoming concerned about the location and the fact that we’re adding another quality restaurant and convenience store offering different types of gases that people are asking about,” Smith said.

            He said the retail center will offer regular diesel, red diesel, D-85 gas which is a heavy blend of ethanol, marine gas, an electric car charging area, a boat, and car washing area.

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Enterprise Reporting By Terry Witt April 16, 2021; Posted April 16, 2021