Governor Tours BLB Shipbuilder, Gets Ideas For Job Growth

Wearing a hard hat, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley saw first hand how hard times are affecting local businesses.

The governor and Homeland Security Director Spencer Collier toured Horizon Shipbuilding in Bayou La Batre on Thursday.

The small business, which employees more than 200 people, is making big progress in spite of the economy.

“I believe everything is local,” said Governor Bentley.  “That’s where I get my best ideas, on the ground talking to the people really doing the work,” he said.

The Bayou La Batre visit and a trip to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Thursday afternoon were part of the governor’s “Road To Economic Recovery Tour.”  The governor is visiting a different part of the state one day each week.

“I met today with Chamber of Commerce at Bayou La Batre.  One of the things they did that I wish every area would do is they gave me a list of five things they'd like to see done.  I have them in my car now and I took notes on that," said Bentley.

The governor’s visit to South Alabama is even more important given the millions of dollars soon to come to the state through BP fines for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.

The governor promises to spend the “vast majority” of the money in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

"We don't want to spend that money just to spend money,” the governor said.  “We want to use that money to create jobs in this area."