Published: January 09, 2009 11:44 pm         

Payne County’s unemployment up

Payne County’s unemployment rate rose in November after dropping two months in a row, according to reports released Tuesday.

The rate rose by 0.3 percent both for Payne County and statewide, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission report.

Payne County reported a 3.9 percent unemployment rate with 1,560 unemployed.

“I’ve got to admit, I was pleasantly surprised,” said Josh McKim, director of economic development for the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce. “When the national (average) is 7.2 (percent), you’re looking pretty good.”

Oklahoma’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Oklahoma was 4.5 percent in November.

Workforce Oklahoma’s Office Manager, Carey Seigle, said the rates will continue to rise.

“They haven’t gotten really bad,” Seigle said. “Wait until you see next month, it’s going to get worse.”

He said he sees more and more people come into his office every day.

“It’s not reflective of what’s happening every day here in the office,” Seigle said. “The unemployment rates are coming in really hot and heavy.”

It’s so bad, in fact, that Seigle said computers across the country are crashing because of the high number of people.

McKim said he doesn’t think it will raise more than a few tenths of a point, and might level off by the middle of the first quarter.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that it won’t be a significant jump,” he said. “I’m hoping it’s not much over 4 (percent).”

He said his office is working to get jobs for those who are unemployed and may be having a job fair in February or March.

Payne County has the 25th lowest unemployment rate of the 77 Oklahoma counties, according to the report. Seventy-three counties reported an increase.

McCurtain County reports the highest rate at 8 percent, while Beckham County and Beaver County bottom the list with a 2.5 percent unemployment rate.

Seigle said Stillwater may max out the number of unemployed people because it benefits from the state and national agencies that are in the city maintaining jobs. These agencies include Oklahoma State University, Meridian Technology Center and the Department of Agriculture.

The price of oil falling, however, could hurt the area, he said.

“At the price that oil is selling for a barrel, it’s not economic to pull oil out of the ground here in Oklahoma,” Seigle said.

Payne County has a slightly higher unemployment rate than it did in November of 2007, which was reported at 3.7 percent.

     

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