By Kenedi Robinson
Clinton County Chatter Staff Reporter
OVID — In the small city of Ovid, many residents are beginning to find work elsewhere. With only three main places hiring, they don’t have much of a choice.
Over the years, Ovid has become more of a bedroom community than anything else. A lot of the residents enjoy living there, but can’t make a living in that same city.
“I would say probably 75-80 percent work outside of the community,” says Josy Medina, Ovid clerk.
According to Medina, the largest employer in Ovid Is the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA), and the second is Research Tool Corporation.
“They hire the majority of our community,” says Medina.
The problem is that this community isn’t very big to begin with.
According to Michele Bates, Office Service Coordinator for MMPA, they employ about 120 people as the largest employer in Ovid.
They provide mainly manufacturing jobs, in addition to maintenance and maybe one available office position every once and a while.
“We actually have people from all over who work here, but I definitely think that Ovid is a bedroom community,” says Bates.
Harry Todosciuk is the owner of Research Tool Corporation which is the second-largest employer in Ovid, having employed about 25-30 people in total.
Todosciuk’s father founded the company around 60 years ago and Todosciuk took over when he could no longer run it.
“We do not have the talent pool in our area for the talent we need (and competitively pay for) and are always shorthanded and recruiting due to vocational programs being discontinued 15-plus years ago in neighboring school districts.” Todosciuk says. “Most recently our target is now college engineering graduates rather than high school grad apprentices we’ve relied on for decades.”
According to Todosciuk, one of the best things about living in Ovid is that they are centrally located. Despite the sparse job pool, and having to travel for their amenities and entertainment, Ovid is a very comfortable place to live.
“There are a lot of people that live and work here but not a majority by any means. Twenty-five percent of us live in Ovid, 25 percent rural within 15 miles and 50 percent come a distance up to an hour and a half commute to work here,” said Todosciuk.
Being so central, Ovid residents don’t always have to travel very far for employment, but if they want it, they can’t stay there.