No matter what you put on it – it can’t be sugar coated. Both the Town and Village of Liberty and the entire county have been hit hard this past week with the shocking news of PepsiCo’s plan to shutter their Frito-Lay plant on Main Street, Liberty. 

Seemingly out of nowhere, 287 people were told by one of the most recognizable companies in the world that it was time to start looking around for new employment opportunities, with the idea of the plant being officially shut down by mid-May. And just as quick as the bad news came, the community responded in turn with a rally cry that saw the unification of voices all the way to the county and state level.

Sullivan County Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz, Liberty Town Supervisor Frank DeMayo and Liberty Village Mayor Joan Stoddard all immediately looked to find the hope in the next step. They aren’t giving up without a fight, and we thank them for their push to advocate for all those impacted by this shaky turn of events.

Not only did the local government leaders begin their search for a solution, gears started turning immediately to find new jobs – with other local businesses and employers throwing in their names for soon-to-be former Frito-Lay workers to look into as a possible next step. We hope that as the day gets closer when the doors shut for good, more and more businesses will extend their hands out to those affected. Likewise, we hope all those who played a role in making Frito-Lay a success for so many years decide to stay in Liberty, not just for the economic side of things, but for the overall culture and community of the area as well. 

Liberty is a diverse, strong-hearted and durable place, and that is all thanks to the people who choose to call it home. One closure doesn’t erase that. When called upon, the community doesn’t hesitate to pick up the slack in the name of the snack. The community has each other’s back.