Even in a tough economy, White Settlement has been attracting business, said Jim Ryan, the city's economic development director. "We've had tremendous success bringing in businesses," Ryan said.
Weir SPM Flow Control, the city's largest employer, opened a hiring office on Cherry Lane because it is expanding and will add around 1,500 employees, he said.Another company, Cooperative Industries, an aerospace firm, is bringing in 100 jobs, Ryan said.And a new extended-stay hotel -- Candlewood Suites -- is gearing up for its grand opening June 1. Doug Denman, a partner in the project, said he is advertising for the 15 or 16 jobs that will be available.Denman said his company chose White Settlement to be in the west Fort Worth area.So city officials said they were surprised when they learned that the 2009 American Community Survey estimated that 13 percent of White Settlement residents are unemployed. According to the survey, the city of just over 16,000 has the third-highest unemployment rate in the county, behind Pelican Bay and Sansom Park.White Settlement also has the fifth-highest percentage of people below the poverty line, at 21.3 percent."I see White Settlement as a blue-collar community that supplied Lockheed. We also have a high number of rental property, which could be a factor," Ryan said. White Settlement has several Section 8 apartment complexes, where rents are subsidized.The average household income is $42,646.Ryan also noted that people who live in White Settlement but work elsewhere could be among those who lost jobs. The survey estimated that more than 19 percent of the workforce is in the production, transportation and material-moving occupations and about 14 percent is in construction and maintenance. Both sectors took significant blows in the recession.But Mayor Jerry Burns said the city has seen more economic development during the past year than in the previous five years combined."While there might be a 13 percent [jobless] figure, there are jobs to be had here locally. I attribute this to the economy as a whole," he said.Elizabeth Campbell, 817-390-7696