By Nick Madigan

Wish list in hand, Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. this morning asked state transportation officials for millions of dollars to pay for improvements to roads, bridges and train stations, but a tough economy means he will not get everything he wants.

John D Porcani

In a meeting in Towson, Smith told John D. Porcari, Maryland’s secretary of transportation, that with an expected influx of residents under the Base Realignment and Closure process, “it is imperative that we have the appropriate infrastructure to accommodate the new residents and jobs that we anticipate adding to this area.”…MORE…

By Mary Gail Hare

Army Ordnance Museum gives visitors a glimpse into the history of warfare.

With any luck, the engine will fire up and a driver will take a 3-ton World War I tank for a short spin to mark Veterans Day at Aberdeen Proving Ground on Tuesday.

3 Ton Army Tank

Some state legislators are expressing concern about the lack of funds for BRAC-related transportation projects, adding to skepticism that the state won’t be ready for the massive job surge expected at its military bases.

Transportation Problems

“This is going very slowly. Too slowly. Particularly with transit,” state Sen. Jim Rosapepe, D-College Park, said last week during a meeting of the state Joint Committee on Base Realignment and Closure.

Relatively easy and quick solutions, such as adding coaches - cars - to MARC commuter trains, are being overlooked while more expensive and lengthy projects such as road improvements, are getting more attention, he told other legislators and state and military officials at the meeting….MORE….

By JOSHUA STEWART, Staff Writer

Officials see a study released Friday by the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs and the state Department of Business and Economic Development’s Division of Small Business as a starting point in simplifying the process for securing contracts with the federal government, particularly at the state’s military installations…More..

By Mary Gail Hare
Craig said the county will meet the demands of BRAC, the military expansion that will bring an additional 10000 jobs in the next few years to Aberdeen …

David Craig

Faced with declining revenues and a sluggish economy, county officials have cut nearly $13 million from this year’s operating budget. Every agency and department has trimmed costs by at least 5 percent, while county officials have assured residents they will not experience any reduction in services.

Projects, such as school and road construction that are already in the works, will continue to move forward, officials said.

“The average citizen won’t see any cut in services,” said County Executive David R. Craig after a news conference last week to announce reductions in the fiscal year 2009 budget, which began July 1..more..

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Her sound is good, Uncle Andy wasn’t on mic so you will have to listen closely.) -DB

Note: Yes Uncle Andy is reading from cue cards. Yes, he also said, “Merland” (this is how someone from Baltimore says, “Maryland”.) Good guy! - DB

This week, federal agencies stated they are seeking $11.6 billion in
funding for 190 construction projects in the Washington area between
now and 2014, in response to the Department of Defense’s 2005 Base
Realignment and Closure (BRAC).

BRAC
refers to the congressionally authorized process used to reorganize
military bases to more efficiently and effectively support our forces,
increase operational readiness and facilitate new ways of doing
business.

The four previous BRAC rounds eliminated approximately
20 percent of DoD’s capacity that existed in 1988 and, through 2001,
produced net savings of approximately $17.7 billion with recurring
savings of $7 billion annually.

While the Pentagon stated it
would save $49 billion nationwide over 20 years, it appears northern
Virginia will reap many benefits. In particular, Fort Belvoir in
southeast Fairfax County would gain more than 20,000 workers, while its
Marine neighbors to the south at Quantico would gain 6,000 employees. - More -

- Uncle Andy

From The Washington Post

The Army is nearing a decision about where at least 6,200 employees of the Defense Department’s Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) and other Defense employees should work when the agency moves out of leased space in Crystal City, as mandated by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). Two sites in Alexandria and one in Springfield are under consideration for the WHS offices. The Springfield site — which is occupied by warehouses operated by the General Services Administration (GSA) — is the only one that offers the Army a secure and accessible location for its current and future needs, meets BRAC-related goals, and saves taxpayers money.

Of primary importance today is security, and the Springfield site offers a far more secure location because it is much larger than the Victory Center site off Eisenhower Avenue and the Mark Center site off Seminary Road. The Springfield site has 70 acres. The Victory Center encompasses 16 acres (which had been home to the Army Materiel Command until it moved in 2003 to more secure quarters at Fort Belvoir), and the Mark Center proposal includes about 24 acres. Because of its size, the Springfield site is the only one that can offer the full 148-foot setbacks that Defense Department officials require for secure locations.- More -

- Uncle Andy

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear didn’t let a retired colonel from Fort Knox enjoy his retirement long.

With big changes coming up at Fort Knox, the governor tapped Col. Mark Needham as his liaison for Base Realignment and Closure activities. Needham knows his way around Fort Knox and BRAC operations. Before he retired, Needham ran day-to-day operations for the post, about 40 miles south of Louisville, as garrison commander and managed BRAC activities there. He retired in July.

The governor had his eye on Needham since their first meeting. - More -

- Uncle Andy