Harford BRAC blog

Job fair in Cecil County May 14

2009-05-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

The Susquehanna Workforce Network is hosting a job fair in Cecil County May 14. Here are the details from its website:

Cecil County Job Fair Participants

Thursday, May 14, 2009: 2-6 p.m.
Singerly Fire Company Banquet Hall

300 Newark Avenue (Route 279) - Elkton, Maryland
(across from Cecil County Public Library: Elkton Branch)
Map Return to Main CCJF Page
SAVE TIME! Click here to Register in Advance!

Participating employers scheduled to include:

Terumo Cardiovascular ● R4, Inc. ● Log.Sec ● Army Team C4ISR ● IKEA
Burris Logistics ● Independent Can Co. ● APGFCU ● Cecil College ● AFLAC
McCormick & Co. ● PNC Bank ● APG-NAF ● Bank of America ● Cecil County Gov’t
● Enterprise Rent-A-Car ● Cecil County Public Schools ● CSSC ●
Harford Community College ● DORS ● MD Air National Guard ● Pepsi-Cola
MD Army National Guard ● University of Delaware ● WXCY ● Shorehaven, Inc.
AND MORE!

Another BRAC Job Fair is coming up March 19

2009-03-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

There's another BRAC job fair coming up March 19. The Susquehanna Workforce Center is sponsoring the event at Ripken Stadium. Here are the details:

The Defense-Technology-Intelligence Job Fair is 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 at Ripken Stadium, 873 Long Drive in Aberdeen, Md. More than 25 employers are expected to be on hand. Click here to see a list of participating companies: www.swnetwork.org . There is no admission or registration required. Here are some tips for making it a success:

Dress professionally
Research the companies involved
Bring extra resumes
Prepare to complete applications
Refresh your interview skills
Network

Click here to see the event flier: http://www.swnetwork.org/2009%20DTI%20Career%20Fair%20Flyer.pdf
For more info call 410-939-4240

CECOM plans to hire 2,000 new employees by the time it moves to APG

2008-06-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Baltimore Sun had a good story on the massive hiring that will be happening in Maryland as the military moves its Fort Monmouth NJ operations to Aberdeen Proving Ground during the next three years. The story says :

The Communications-Electronics command (CECOM) is planning to hire 2,000 new employees by the time it moves to Aberdeen, the story said, with starting salaries ranging from $30,000 to $60,000, along with generous federal government fringe benefits.

If you're interested, it looks like you can apply for a job at CECOM here:
http://www.monmouth.army.mil/cecom/pandt/jobopport/apply.htm

BRAC job fair today at Harford Community College

2008-06-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Department of Defense will be using today's BRAC job fair at Harford Community College to find candidates for the federal jobs coming to Aberdeen Proving Ground as a part of the military's Base Realignment and Closure process. The job fair runs from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the college's Susquehanna Center, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air. (Click here to see a map.) According to the City of Aberdeen's website:

The Department of Defense is recruiting experienced Engineers, Contract Specialists, Contract Officers, Management Analysts, Program Analysts, Logisticians, and Program Managers. Meet with DOD Recruiters. Apply for federal jobs located at Aberdeen Proving Ground. For more information contact Stacey Lambert at the Susquehanna Workforce Network 410-939-4240 or slambert@swnetwork.org

The BRAC jobs are coming

2008-05-29T19:44:00.000-07:00

A commenter (thank you!) just posted some information on upcoming BRAC job opportunities.

There's a BRAC job fair scheduled at Harford Community College on June 4. The fair is scheduled 2:00 pm—7:00 pm at the college's Susquehanna Center, 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, MD 21014. According to the City of Aberdeen's website:

The Department of Defense is recruiting experienced Engineers, Contract Specialists, Contract Officers, Management Analysts, Program Analysts, Logisticians, and Program Managers. Meet with DOD Recruiters. Apply for federal jobs located at Aberdeen Proving Ground. For more information contact Stacey Lambert at 410-939-4240 or slambert@swnetwork.org

(The college is also hosting a Showcase of Aberdeen Proving Ground Technology and R&D Contract Opportunities on June 18 & 19 at the Amoss Center. Click here for more info.)

In other BRAC job news:

The master list of government jobs from Ft. Monmouth to APG is due to arrive at APG sometime before the end of June.

The majority of the Ordnance School move will start in April 09 and will continue to 2011, but the big push will be during 2010 fiscal year to Ft. Lee, VA.

The Government based jobs that are coming from nj ARE slowly starting to show up on USAJobs.com and will increase towards the end of this year.

CACI is the first contractor that will occupy the new OPUS complex.

Officials to break ground Monday on $477 million complex at APG to house Fort Monmouth's communications jobs

2008-03-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

Army officials are scheduled to break ground Monday on a $477 million complex at Aberdeen Proving Ground that will house communications jobs that are relocating from Fort Meade. While the Asbury Park Press newspaper continues to report on efforts to prove the closing of the Fort Meade base is costing the government money instead of saving it, it appears APG will be getting ready for the 8,000 jobs expected to come nonetheless. The building will be for C4ISR: mission in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to a Baltimore Sun story.

"The 1.5-million-square-foot facility, built by Whiting-Turner Contractors, should be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2010, a year ahead of the deadline for the completion of BRAC."

More construction at the 73,000-acre base will start this summer on a test and evaluation center as well as a comprehensive medical research unit, the story said.

Construction began three months ago on a 200-acre business and technology park known as GATE (Government and Technology Enterprise) that will include a 60,000-square-foot laboratory and an 80,000-square- foot office building, according to the Sun.

"The GATE project is part of an 'enhanced-use program,' a nationwide push by the Department of Defense to find new ways of financing maintenance and improvements on military installations during a time when the defense budget is being stretched to support combat operations overseas. Leasing the land helps pay for many of the other base upgrades.
"'One of the reasons we won BRAC is because APG has these lands available for lease,' said James C. Richardson, Harford's economic development director."

BRAC has already brought 500 new residents to Harford County

2008-03-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

Harford County Executive David Craig told a crowd of 300 who attended last night's BRAC Town Hall meeting at the Aberdeen High School auditorium that 500 new residents have already come to Harford County as a result of BRAC, according to a report on abc2news.com. In addition, the story said:

"County officials told them that eight intersections near the Proving Ground will have to be improved, most of them along Rt. 40. Other roads that lead to the base, including Rt. 22, will have to be widened."

Officials said 8,000 new jobs would be moved from Fort Monmouth N.J. to Aberdeen Proving Ground. And, if the people who currently hold those jobs don't make the move, then there would be a lot of job openings at APG. They also said the sheriff's department staff would need to increase and the jail would need to be expanded. The county's water capacity would have to more than double by 2020.

"But Craig said Harford County residents will not be asked to pay for it all with an increase in their property taxes. 'We’re not anticipating an increase in taxes because of the capital improvements we need to make, or because of the operational improvements,' he said"

The story did not mention where the rest of the money would come from.

Big BRAC meeting coming up Monday, March 10

2008-03-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

Transportation, schools and crime are among the topics expected to be covered during a BRAC town hall meeting scheduled 6:30 p.m. March 10 at the Aberdeen High School auditorium. A Baltimore Sun story reports speakers at the meeting are to include:

Garrison commander Col. Jeffrey Weissman, who will give a BRAC progress report
Harford County Sheriff Jesse Bane, who will speak on safety issues
Harford County Economic Development Director James C. Richardson, who will discuss how his office is assisting people and organizations moving to Harford County
County Executive David R. Craig, who will lead a forum on BRAC questions

Also to be discussed are a transportation center near Aberdeen and road construction priorities and the new Homeland Security Magnet Program in Harford County schools.

The nationwide military base expansion could bring as many as 10,000 new jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground within the next three years, according to the Sun story.

The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Harford County Office of Economic Development at 410-638-3059 or visit them on the web at www.harfordbusiness.org.

State highway planners seek more public input on APG intersection improvements

2008-01-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

State highway planners looking to improve the intersection of U.S. 40 and Route 715 near the entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground presented four options to the approximately 100 people who attended a public meeting last Tuesday night. According to a story in today's Baltimore Sun:

"Options include two loop ramps from U.S. 40, a cloverleaf and additional lanes."

The story says the costs range from $34 million to $48.8 million and the project has not yet received funding:

"With funding, we could start construction in about three years," said Stephen M. Ches, transportation engineer manager and project manager. "First, there will be design and environmental studies. It will take two to three years to build."

The proposed highway improvements "could affect as many as 18 properties along the heavily commercial strip of U.S. 40. Preliminary studies have identified the potential impact on streams, but environmental research will be needed to determine the effects on wetlands," the story says.

The story says that some of the people who attended asked officials whether Route 715 would be extended to Interstate 95 and they were told that was not part of the plan. The story went on to quote Aberdeen Mayor Michael Bennett saying: "It will have to be done sometime."

The State Highway Administration is allowing 30 more days for the public to comment on the project:

Information: 410-545-8835 or 888-228-5003. The designs will be available soon at www. marylandroads.com, where there is room for comment. (I didn't see them there yet. If you do, please let me know and I'll include a link.)

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Jan. 15 public meeting scheduled on BRAC-related road improvements planned for U.S. Route 40 at MD 715

2008-01-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

The Dagger Press blog reports that a public meeting is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 15 to discuss upcoming improvements to the U.S. Route 40 (Pulaski Highway) at MD 715 (Short Lane/Maryland Boulevard) Interchange near Aberdeen. The meeting, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Transportation (DOT) and the State Highway Administration (SHA) will be held at Bakerfield Elementary School, 36 Baker Street, Aberdeen.

According to the report in The Dagger Press:

"The main objective of this project is to improve the operational characteristics of the interchange and provide additional capacity for the future Base Realignment and Closure expansion."

"Although there will be no formal presentation, citizens can acquaint themselves with the project, review studies made, and see the various options currently under consideration by walking through the displays at their own pace. There will be SHA representatives available to discuss the current plans and answer questions."

For more information, click here to read the post at The Dagger Press.

Lt. Gov. Brown proposes plan to get companies to help pay for roads and schools

2007-12-14T20:20:00.000-08:00

Workers are expected to break ground this week on the first building to go in at Aberdeen Proving Ground's GATE project, according to a story in Friday's Aegis. As construction gets ready to begin on the Government and Technology Enterprise business park, state officials are looking for ways to get the private companies that will come there to help pay for new schools, roads and utilities in the area. The Aegis reports that Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who is Chairman of the Base Realignment and Closure Subcabinet, is proposing a plan that would allow governments to negotiate up-front payments from these companies for infrastructure needs. Officials are concerned that these companies are likely to be exempt from some taxes and up-front payments would provide governments with money needed right away to accommodate the expected growth. The story says Brown is expected to present his plan to Gov. Martin O'Malley on Monday.

BRAC plan says Harford County could get a new school for Ph.D.'s in tech fields

2007-11-23T05:51:00.000-08:00

Harford County could get a new four-year school for earning higher level degrees in technology fields, according to a story in this morning's Aegis. The school would resemble an applied physics lab and would provide the research and resources needed for Masters and Ph.D. degrees, the story says. This information was included in the Maryland BRAC Action Plan put together by by a state subcabinet headed by Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and released in draft form on Nov. 16. The plan says a timeline for a feasibility study for this kind of an institution is scheduled to be offered next year.

The plan also calls for the relocation of the Aberdeen MARC station and improvements to the Edgewood station to improve north and south commuter rail times, the story says.

It goes on to say that the plan calls for:

interchange improvements at Route 24 and 924 by 2011
new lots at the park and ride at 152 and Route 24 by 2011
deck replacement on the Hatem Memorial Bridge by 2011
resurfacing of Route 40 from Route 152 to the Route 24 overpass by 2008
resurfacing of Route 152 to the APG gate
resurfacing of Rote 465 to Beards Hill Road by 2009

The plan also calls for completing a community safety and enhancement project from Route 24 to Willoughby Beach Road by 2011 and for wastewater treatment plant upgrades in Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, Joppatown and Sod Run.

Harford County leads the pack in BRAC households

2007-10-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post reports today that Harford County is expected to get the largest percentage of new households coming to Maryland as a result of BRAC. Of the 25,300 new households expected, Harford County (home of APG) gets 26 percent, Anne Arundel County (home of Fort Meade) gets 18 percent, Baltimore County gets 14 percent, Baltimore City gets 10 percent, Montgomery County gets 9 percent, Prince Georges and Cecil County tie at 8 percent and Howard County gets 7 percent. These estimates came from the state's Department of Housing and Community Development. The story also said:

"According to the state, about 54 percent of the units would be for high-income households making more than $75,000; 28 percent for medium-income households earning $30,000 to $75,000; and about 18 percent for lower-income households."

This is how the BRAC job numbers break down, according to the story:

" ... Fort Meade stands to gain about 5,700 jobs directly and thousands more through related businesses. More than 9,000 jobs will go directly to Aberdeen Proving Ground, and additional workers will be assigned to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George's."

Looks like New Jersey can't stop BRAC from coming -- contract for lab complex awarded and 32 jobs coming this fall

2007-09-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

A $477.5 million contract the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a Washington firm yesterday to build an an office and laboratory complex at Aberdeen Proving Ground could be the signal that disgruntled New Jersey officials can't stop BRAC from coming. The contract awarded to a joint venture called Tompkins- Turner Grunley/Kinsley, according to the Baltimore Sun, will allow preparations to start for the 5,000 jobs expected to relocate from Fort Monmouth to APG by 2011. An advance team of 32 from New Jersey are expected here sometime this fall.

According to the Sun story:

"New Jersey politicians have sought congressional action to block closure of the 90-year-old fort, and a union representing Monmouth workers filed a federal lawsuit. But the Asbury Park Press reported Wednesday that the union failed in a bid to get an injunction barring the Army from going forward with the construction of the new 'Center of Excellence' complex at Aberdeen."

In other BRAC news, ABC2News.com is reporting that Harford County's Health officer is concerned about the increased traffic BRAC will bring and how that might impact our health.
According to the website:

"Dr. Andrew Bernstein fears those people will get into cars, leading to more air pollution. He's advising county leaders to bring in additional mass transit."

"The location of communities next to large highways or major intersections - there's a direct relationship between that and rates of asthma in children," said Dr. Bernstein."

Good thought. But I'm betting it's going to be hard to keep these 5,000 or more folks out of their cars, asthma or no asthma. Unless, of course, they get that hovercraft up and running. That just might make the commute interesting enough to park and ride.

Harford County's water supply is an environmental issue to watch

2007-09-18T19:06:00.000-07:00

The influx of some 30,000 new residents that are expected to come to Harford County in the next few years due to BRAC is likely to bring environmental issues to the fore. Our water supply is one that has been mentioned frequently. A story in Sunday's Baltimore Sun says that the water supply is already an issue this year:

"The prolonged dry spell and lower stream levels have forced suppliers of water to Bel Air and Edgewood Arsenal to switch from their systems to the county's in the past few weeks, while the supplier for Aberdeen Proving Ground plans to make the change as soon as tomorrow."

The story goes on to say that the water supply problem can be easily solved this year:

"We have the water available, but we are cautious,' said Joel Caudill, deputy director of the county Public Works Department. 'Had this happened earlier in the season, when customers were using more water, we may have had some problems.'"

However, with a surge of new residents expected, it's an issue to watch.

Want a BRAC job? Do better in math.

2007-09-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

I've noticed a number of news organizations have picked up on the report released Friday by the Fort Meade Alliance that says the state is failing to prepare students to fill all the high-tech jobs BRAC will bring. According to WBAL's version of the story:

"Enrollment for bachelor's degrees in Maryland rose 24 percent between 1994 and 2004, but the number of students pursuing math, engineering and biological sciences dropped."

This is a problem because:

"According to the report, state officials estimate that there will be a 17 percent hike in engineering employment between 2004 and 2014, 'but that can only occur if there is a supply to meet demand.'"

I thought I'd point out that the news is not all dire. If you're preparing for a BRAC job, Harford Community College has in its non-credit class schedule for this fall nine classes dedicated to Homeland Protection & Security. But they're not cheap. You can learn to be a Certified Ethical Hacker in six sessions for $1,795. Or you can learn to be a Certified Information Systems Security Professional in 10 sessions for $1,295. You can learn CompTIA Security+ for $1,895. And if all that is too pricey, you can spring for the $89 Hazwoper 8-hour Annual Refresher. But seeing as these are all pretty expensive, you'd probably do better to do well in math, get a good job and let your company pay for your training.

BRAC town meeting draws residents concerned about crime, terrorism and jobs

2007-09-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday's BRAC town hall meeting filled the Edgewood High School auditorium with people interested in hearing the update on the BRAC Action Plan, according to a story in Friday's Aegis. Forty questions came from the audience, the story said, with some focusing on crime, terrorism and jobs. Officials told the audience that a relocation of the Harford Sheriff's Office's southern precinct should help ensure the Edgewood area gets proper coverage as it grows with BRAC. They are also talking about ways to deal with gangs. Officials assured the crowd that terrorism is usually more likely in big cities and ports, the story said. And APG civilians who don't want to move with their shifting jobs, might find help by visiting the Maryland Workforce Exchange site at https://mwe.dllr.state.md.us/brac/BracContent.asp. The story also said:

"George Mercer, public information officer for APG, said he's willing to work with these civilians, as well as personnel who may be leaving and who wish to sell their property to incoming APG employees."

I know a few people in my neighborhood who were hoping to do the same thing.

Could telecommuting reduce the number of BRAC workers expected to move to Maryland even further?

2007-09-09T06:17:00.002-07:00

A story in today's Baltimore Sun suggests that if the Army is willing to extend its limited practice of allowing some of its workers to telecommute, those unwilling to relocate from Fort Monmouth, N.J. might keep their jobs without having to move near Maryland. According to the story:

"Army officials are said to be considering allowing Fort Monmouth workers the option to telecommute, should their jobs move as scheduled to Aberdeen in Harford County. The Asbury Park (N.J.) Press reported last week that an internal survey of employees found only 25 percent willing to move, but that 55 to 60 percent would stay with their jobs if given the option to work either from home or from a telecommuting center in New Jersey."

Click here to read the story.

2007-09-09T06:17:00.001-07:00

Maybe Harford County won't be getting quite so many BRAC jobs

2007-09-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

A story in Sunday's Baltimore Sun reports that there's a new study out that says Harford County will likely get 3,500 fewer jobs than expected when the BRAC relocation process is completed. The 19,000 jobs for Harford predicted in the study by Sage Policy Group Inc., a Baltimore economic consulting firm, is still a big increase for the county. But the study says it expects the strong office market already available in Baltimore County will attract a lot of companies there. James C. Richardson, Harford County's economic development director, told the Sun Harford County had earlier expected 22,500 jobs. But no one really knows what's going to happen until the jobs start coming and we see how many end up spilling into Cecil County and even Pennsylvania and Delaware. Other findings the story cited from the study include:

• The public school population in the seven-county area will grow by nearly 11,000 students, with the largest increase -- 4,624 -- in Harford County.

• BRAC-related households will have average incomes of $109,000.

• About 86 percent of the people coming to the region will live in owner-occupied houses, and the average home price is estimated at $400,000.

• State gross tax receipts will be boosted by $113 million a year by 2017.

Completion of enviromental study clears way for bids to go out on BRAC construction projects at APG

2007-09-04T05:26:00.000-07:00

According to a Baltimore Sun story: Now that the environmental impact study has been completed and approved, demolition and construction can get started at Aberdeen Proving Ground in preparation for the estimated 8,200 jobs to relocate there from Fort Monmouth in New Jersey by 2011. The story says building is expected to start next year and the approval clears the way for bids to go out on the $800 million worth of construction projects. According to the story:

"The first phase of construction will include upgrades to infrastructure and the razing of several aging buildings, many of them former barracks converted into offices."

and

"During the next four years, the APG will add as many as 8,000 jobs on base and thousands more military, civilian and contractor positions on its periphery. The expansion could bring more than 30,000 people to Harford County, officials said."

The environmental study reviewed the base's impact on traffic and cultural resources as well as:

"... studies of noise pollution, air and water quality, plant and animal life and cultural resources - all reviewed by officials at the Maryland Department of the Environment and the federal Environmental Protection Agency..."

Got a BRAC question? Get it answered at BPAC meeting Sept. 12 in Edgewood

2007-08-31T06:42:00.000-07:00

Officials will hand out note cards as you enter their BRAC Planning Action Committee (BPAC) quarterly meeting Sept. 12. They hope you'll fill them out with questions for Harford County Executive David R. Craig to answer at the meeting scheduled 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Edgewood High School auditorium. If you can't make the meeting, a story in today's Aegis says it will be recorded and make available on the Office of Economic Development web page at http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/BRAC.cfm. The Aegis story says the discussion will include updates on land use, transportation and infrastructure, education, technology and workforce development and public safety. Office of Economic Development Director James Richardson, Second District Congressman C. A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger and Aberdeen Proving Group representatives are expected to attend. For more information, call the Harford County Office of Economic Development at 410-638-3059.

Harford County State Delegates James, Stifler and Sen. Jacobs appointed to joint BRAC committee

2007-08-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

A recent story on Examiner.com, reported that Harford County got three of its state officials appointed to a joint BRAC committee in Annapolis. They are:

Del. Mary-Dulaney James, D-District 34

Del. Donna Stifler, R-District 35

and Sen. Nancy Jacobs, R-District 34

According to the story, the nine member committee will:

"... be responsible for providing “legislative oversight” for the state’s BRAC preparations and reviewing BRAC-related bills as they pass through the General Assembly. The committee will also help fast-track the approval of transportation, water and sewer projects; affordable housing options for new workers; and school construction projects."

BRAC's first 32 jobs are coming to APG in the next two to three months, according to the Examiner

2007-08-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

A story on Examiner.com today gives a two to three month time frame for those first 32 jobs to arrive at Aberdeen Proving Ground from Fort Monmouth. The story says:

"The first wave of what will be tens of thousands of military workers and their families relocating to Maryland will begin moving here from Fort Monmouth, N.J., in the next two to three months, Army officials said.
The Army has approved the transfer of 32 engineering jobs from Fort Monmouth to Aberdeen Proving Ground, acting as an “advance team” for BRAC moves that will shutter Monmouth and transfer most of its functions to Aberdeen."

Folks in New Jersey are still contesting the move, according to the report:

“BRAC law says you’re supposed to have a plan, but they’re executing before they have a plan,” said John Poitras, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1904, which represents many Monmouth employees. “They want those 32 people down there so they can say, ‘We've already begun the move, might as well let the rest of it go through.’ ”

But the story said that Maryland politicians, including Sen. Barbara Mikulski, are insisting that this move in necessary to prepare for the coming influx.

“The BRAC recommendations, and its great news for APG, were based on mission and merit,” Mikulski told the Examiner.

32 BRAC jobs are coming from Fort Monmouth early, we just don't know when, according to Baltimore Sun

2007-08-18T05:06:00.000-07:00

The Baltimore Sun reported toda y that the first contingent of workers from the communications and electronics research center at Fort Monmouth are headed for Aberdeen Proving Ground, according to a statement the Army's Materiel Command released late last night. The move was delayed last month due to some efforts in New Jersey to block the move of 5,000 civilian and defense workers from this center. The story said:

"New Jersey officials have complained bitterly about the decision to close Monmouth, and they said many workers likely would retire or quit before moving. The state's congressional delegation introduced bills aimed at delaying the Monmouth closure, pointing to a more than doubling in the estimated costs of relocating the work performed there."

However,

"In the statement released last night, the Army's Materiel Command said the change in course was prompted in part out of 'concern for the welfare of employees and their families, in particular those with school-age children.' It did not elaborate."

No word yet on when these first 32 workers are coming.

Some of the first new BRAC jobs will go to construction workers

2007-08-05T19:33:00.001-07:00

Construction workers will be among the first people to get work here due to BRAC. A story in Sunday's Baltimore Sun reports that 200 construction workers will need to be hired to help build a $500 million office complex to house the military's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center at APG. It will hold 5,000 civilian defense workers. But before those workers take jobs here, construction workers will be needed. The Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to select a general contractor for the job by Sept. 25, the story says. James C. Richardson, Harford County's economic development director, told The Sun he would be giving the general contractor a list of local construction workers.

Looks like folks in New Jersey find it rather ironic Maryland needs help handling BRAC

2007-07-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

A story in today's Asbury Park Press indicates folks in New Jersey find it rather ironic that the Marylanders who convinced the military to close their Fort Monmouth base and move those jobs to Maryland are now asking the federal government for help paying for the infrastructure upgrades we'll need to accomodate them.

According to the story:

"Maryland's victory in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure round is squeezing the state's ability to afford the spoils, and its congressional delegation is asking for more federal money to subsidize the job boom the state lobbied to get.

"In the two years since state officials touted Maryland's readiness to accept Fort Monmouth's mission, state planners have identified at least $16 billion in unfunded infrastructure improvements necessary to accommodate the largest job influx since World War II."

The story goes on to say:

"Rep. Frank J. Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said he wasn't surprised that Maryland is now asking for federal help.

"What happens with BRAC is that they make their case and try and say it's not going to cost them anything, and then when the decision is made they go back and ask for everything imaginable," Pallone said. "That's what you're getting."

The story points out what New Jersey is losing and what Maryland stands to gain with the influx:

"If Fort Monmouth closes as scheduled in 2011, New Jersey also will lose an estimated $3.3 billion the post contributes annually to the state economy. Maryland, however, expects the results of the 2005 BRAC round to pump nearly $10 billion into its economy."

Then it goes on to list Maryland leaders touting the state's readiness for BRAC back when they were making their case to the federal government to bring the jobs here:

"Maryland stands ready to give full support, providing a work force ideally tailored to the future, a quality of life second to none, and infrastructure that meets all future requirements," Aris Melissaratos, then secretary of Maryland's Department of Business & Economic Development, wrote in a Aug. 23, 2005, letter to former BRAC commission Chair Anthony Principi."

It ends by pointing out the Aberdeen -- home to Aberdeen Proving Ground, which is expected to see in influx of about 8,200 BRAC jobs -- has been having its own unrelated troubles of late.

"The Maryland State Prosecutor's Office last month issued a subpoena at City Hall, demanding financial records, travel vouchers and other documents from several members of Simmons' administration, according to City Manager Douglas R. Miller."

Lots of BRAC news cropping up lately

2007-06-27T02:44:00.001-07:00

The Baltimore Examiner has several stories that touch on BRAC today:

J. Thomas (Tom) Sadowski, Executive Vice President of The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, the public/private economic development organization that markets greater Baltimore wrote a commentary piece giving a BRAC update. Click here to read it.

The Examiner also has a story on school overcrowding and its relationship to BRAC:

Overcrowded schools in Harford brace for BRAC

"... (Harford County school) Board members are facing overcrowded elementary schools, a flood of more students from the military’s Base Realignment and Closure Act, and the possibility of redistricting twice in a year.
Prospect Mill Elementary is the most overcrowded school in the county at nearly 150 percent, schools spokesman Don Morrison said in an interview.
An elementary school on Vale Road is slated to be completed in the summer of 2010, easing Prospect Mill’s seams, but after another elementary school is built the following year, the county’s elementary schools will still be at 105 percent capacity, board members said.

And that’s not fac:

From the Examiner June 21:

Army informs county of effects of BRAC’s population influx

"Harford County (Map, News) - An Army official told the Harford County Council Tuesday night that economists predict the county will see 54,000 incoming residents from the federal Base Realignment and Closure initiative.
Col. John Wright, the deputy installation commander for Aberden Proving Ground, made the first BRAC presentation at a council meeting, attempting to prepare it for a population explosion that could strain the county’s infrastructure.
“We’re trying to be ready inside the gate, and give you as much information as we can, so you can be ready outside the gate,” Wright said.
He said that fewer than 50 people already have moved from Fort Monmouth, N.J., though most are expected to relocate around the year 2010.
About 8,200 more civilians will work at APG, meaning that 30,000 people will be going in and out of the base every day, taxing roads like Route 22, which is already notoriously well-traveled, even more, Wright said."

This from the Washington Times today:

Democrat seeks aid for BRAC counties

"Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger says he will attempt to secure $74 million from the fiscal 2008 federal budget to help Maryland prepare for an influx of workers as its military bases expand.
Mr. Ruppersberger, Maryland Democrat, will seek $25 million for road improvements and mass transit, $21 million for water and sewer systems and $28 million for infrastructure needs at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County and Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County, according to the Baltimore Sun."

This from the Washington Business Journal June 20:

Challenges confront Maryland as state prepares for BRAC moves

"Congressional efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, a federal backlog in the processing of security clearance requests and the estimated $4.5 billion in needed construction projects are just a few of the factors that could make it difficult for Maryland to get ready for an influx of 40,000 to 60,000 new jobs by 2011.

"'One concern is probably: A, maintaining the security at these sites; and B, making sure these projects are done on time,' said Heather A. James, counsel at Baltimore-based law firm Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, during a discussion on construction and the federal military's plan for base realignment and closure (BRAC)."

This from the Annapolis Capital Online today:

Officials press to improve MARC

"Concerned about the strain growth at military bases in Maryland will put on rail lines, six local elected officials are asking Gov. Martin O'Malley to improve service for commuters.
The Baltimore Metropolitan Council, a board that includes County Executive John R. Leopold as well as top elected officials from Baltimore City and Carroll, Harford, Baltimore and Howard counties, sent a letter to the governor asking him to improve commuter rail lines."

This from the Washington Post June 21:

BRAC Planning Brings Jurisdictions Together

"The Pentagon's base realignment plan will launch what has been called the single largest job expansion in Maryland since World War II and will fuel a building boom needed to expand schools, modernize roads and develop housing to accommodate up to 60,000 new workers.
Yet, counties and cities aren't fighting over the spoils, at least for now, but rather are working together in unusual fashion to ensure the region as a whole is prepared for the growth caused by the Base Realignment and Closure plan, known as BRAC.

Just as surprising, the state is abandoning the common practice of waiting for local jurisdictions to go to Annapolis to argue for their share of the pie. When a new BRAC subcabinet created by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) met Friday for the second time, it convened 60 miles from the capital, at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in St.Mary's County. The next meeting will be in Frederick, with future stops likely in Montgomery, Howard and Harford counties."

This from the Baltimore Sun June 15:

Senate panel approves BRAC funding

"WASHINGTON // A Senate panel approved $984.2 million yesterday for military construction in Maryland, including $719.7 million to accommodate the base realignment that is expected to bring tens of thousands of jobs to the state.

The $109.2 billion military construction and veterans affairs bill that was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee includes includes $287.1 million for Aberdeen Proving Ground, $164 million for Fort Meade and $214.8 million for the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda.

The proposal now heads to the full Senate, with a vote expected this summer.

The figures were announced by the office of Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, a member of the Appropriations Committee. The Maryland Democrat was not available for comment, a spokeswoman said.

Expansion at Aberdeen in Harford County, Fort Meade in Anne Arundel and other military installations is expected to bring 40,000 to 60,000 new jobs to the state over the next five years.

The military construction bill does not include money to help local communities expand roads, schools and sewer systems to accommodate the expansion. Mikulski's spokeswoman said the senator would seek federal funding for those services in an upcoming transportation spending bill."

Local group acquires unbuilt portion of the Greenway Farm development at foreclosure auction

2007-06-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

A story in yesterday's Baltimore Sun reported that a group of local investors, which previously owned the 85 acres next to the Bulle Rock golf course, outbid at least one other party to regain possession of the land at the foreclosure auction held Wednesday.

According to the story:

"The group's $21 million bid was only three-quarters of the debt, which totaled about $28 million."

The group says they plan to move ahead with a housing development planned for the land, which is close to the Aberdeen Proving Ground. APG is expected to get an influx of more than 8,000 jobs in the next few years due to BRAC. Despite the expected increase in demand for housing BRAC is expected to bring, the nationwide housing slump convinced property's developer decided not to go ahead with its development plans.

"Acacia Capital Corp. bought the property to develop it for K. Hovnanian. After the booming market burst, the builder decided not to exercise its option to purchase the final two phases, approved for 414 homes. A. Hugo DeCesaris, a regional president for K. Hovnanian, said in a statement in April that both his company and Acacia believe the land is now worth less than the price originally agreed upon, but the lenders 'were unwilling to resolve the matter short of foreclosure.'"

The new owners are well-known locally. The group includes:

"Ronald W. Benfield, who runs a real estate appraisal company; Charles Benfield, founder of Benfield Electric, an electrical contracting firm; and Chris Michel, a land developer."

Letter to Editor seeks state's assistance to help Harford County pay for BRAC

2007-06-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

A letter to the editor printed in Sunday's Harford County section of the Baltimore Sun includes a plea to the state to help Harford County deal with the influx BRAC will bring in two specific ways. The letter writer, Morita C. Bruce of Fallston, says the state is denying Harford County the tools it needs to handle the infrastructure costs incurred when trying to provide for thousands of newcomers.

The letter states:

"I'm asking you to please do two things to help Harford pay for BRAC: support enabling legislation for a transfer tax on the sale of existing homes, and help work out a deal with the Army that gives Harford the income equivalent to the taxes that would be paid if the EUL (Enhanced Use Lease) businesses were located on regular commercial property.
"So, to the members of the Harford delegation in Annapolis: Stand up for the taxpayers of the county. We need your help."

Baltimore Sun editorial today mulls 'The BRAC Effect' on higher education

2007-06-04T05:39:00.000-07:00

The Baltimore Sun's editorial page today urges Central Maryland's community colleges to "be on their toes" so they can respond to the as-of-yet-undetermined needs of an as-of-yet-undetermined number of people who will be looking for training when BRAC moves them here.

"There could be a demand for midcareer credits and professional training from the contractors and military personnel themselves. Or it might be that their spouses, having relocated, will be looking for the sort of training -- in who knows what fields -- to get new jobs here. Or simply that their children, as they leave high school, will put new demands on the community colleges for undergraduate education."

The story details some things schools already have in the works:

"Harford is weighing a capital fundraising drive, in search of private donations. Harford and Cecil have entered into partnerships with Towson University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, respectively; this is a good start, but both have a long way to go. Harford and Arundel operate higher-education centers that make it possible to take graduate-level courses through four-year universities -- another good idea that needs to be pushed further. These partnerships make increased capacity possible. So do online courses, and the use of high school classrooms at night; that's not a perfect arrangement, but it works."

It ends by saying that if colleges can rise to the challenge ....

"...they'll have made a strong argument for more state financial support in the years ahead."

Aberdeen Mayor tells WJZ he carries a gun, but is upbeat about growth BRAC will bring

2007-05-31T05:33:00.001-07:00

WJZ.com yesterday posted a report on Aberdeen's preparations for BRAC. In the short video (click here to see it) Aberdeen Mayor Fred Simmons tells WJZ that he carries a gun when he walks the area's toughest neighborhoods. But for the most part, the report was upbeat, discussing how officials recently burned down three drug houses while church choirs sang in the background and how area businesses are looking forward to the increased business BRAC will bring.

The Harford Democratic Politics blog had some thoughts to share on Aberdeen's gun-toting mayor. Check it out here.

Maryland BRAC subcabinet holds 1st meeting, plans 10 more by Dec. 1

2007-05-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Baltimore Sun posted a story on its website detailing the first meeting of the state's Base Realignment and Closure Subcabinet held today. Among the story's highlights:

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who is leading the state's base-realignment planning, announced that "Asuntha Chiang-Smith, a former head of the state's Office of Military and Federal Affairs, had been hired to coordinate the work of the subcabinet, which includes the heads of eight Cabinet departments and the state superintendent of schools. Chiang-Smith, who will be paid $109,799, also had worked as an aide to former Gov. Parris N. Glendening and to Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski."

The subcabinet has a six-month deadline to come up with a plan to accommodate an expected influx of from 45,000 to 60,000 defense-related jobs in the state. Brown said:
"'We have our work cut out for us'in preparing for the growth, including building schools, expanding transit and locating water to accommodate the new workers and their families."
The plan is due Dec. 1 to Gov. Martin O'Malley. Before that time it's expected that the subcabinet will have 10 meetings some of which will be held in the communities expecting to see the bulk of new residents.

Small businesses look to capitalize on BRAC

2007-05-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

The Baltimore Sun covered the recent "BRAC and Your Bottom Line" event for business owners last week and found everyone from interior designers to electronics distributors looking to get the word out about themselves.

According to the story:

"Tom McCuin, business development manager with Comm Wireless, a mobile radio service company, wanted to know whom to see at APG.

"We want to market to the new tenants and contractors," he said. "I know there is business, and I am finding helpful contacts here." Similar conferences, funded by the state's small-business network, are scheduled in the next few weeks in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Prince George's County."

More events are scheduled the story said:

"BRAC and Your Bottom Line" continues from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 7 at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine Health Sciences Facility I, 685 W. Baltimore St.; from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. June 21 at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson and June 26 in Bowie (time and location to be determined). Registration is required. Information: 301-403-8300, Ext. 34, or www.mdsbdc.umd.edu.

Calfornia firm gets $10 million BRAC contract

2007-05-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., a Pasadena, Calif. firm, will be helping the Baltimore area prepare for the BRAC influx, according to a recent story in the Baltimore Business Journal. The May 1 story said:

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a five-year contract to a Pasadena, Calif., firm to help Army bases along the East Coast, including Maryland, prepare for a military realignment.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE: JEC) said Tuesday it has been awarded a contract of up to $10 million from the Army Corps' Baltimore district to provide planning, architecture and engineering services for the federal Base Realignment and Closure efforts."

Fort Meade schools more concerned than Harford's about having room for new BRAC students, says Baltimore Sun

2007-05-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

A Baltimore Sun story published yesterday indicates that schools on the Army base in Fort Meade are concerned they won't have the money to make more room to accommodate the 1,700 new students they anticipate BRAC will bring. An estimated 45,000 BRAC workers are expected to settle in Maryland by the 2011 deadline for the BRAC move. Schools on the Army base in Fort Meade are expected to see a heavy influx, the story says.

"Many children of military families will attend schools on the post, since these middle-class households are more likely to live there than in more upscale neighborhoods elsewhere in the region."

The story goes on to say that school districts in other counties are better able to handle their expected population increases, quoting district spokespeople:

"Baltimore County considers itself "uniquely positioned" to handle the influx, said Donald I. Mohler, a county spokesman."

"Howard County public schools Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin said that his school system is prepared for any influx that BRAC might cause."

With regard to Harford County schools, the story says:

"As home to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Harford County is in a more precarious position. Harford is expected to absorb about 60 percent of the new families coming to APG.

"Still, Harford officials are planning expansions, and in some cases new buildings, for nearly all the schools closest to the installation."

Bainbridge mixed-use development in Port Deposit seen as model for BRAC developments

2007-05-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Delaware's The News Journal newspaper is back on the BRAC case again with a Friday story detailing new development planned on the site of the old Bainbridge naval base in Port Deposit, Cecil County.

From the story:

"As part of a public-private partnership, two Maryland developers plan to create a massive mixed-use community. Construction is expected to begin soon on the first of 1,250 homes that will sprawl across the former base's 1,200 acres.

Located on high ground above the town of Port Deposit, about 35 miles southwest of Wilmington, Bainbridge overlooks the Susquehanna River."

The story says the Bainbridge Development Corp. has owned the property since 1999.

"With 3 million square feet in commercial and office space, Bainbridge is expected to support up to 5,000 jobs and provide Cecil County $22 million in annual tax revenue. One pharmaceutical company based in Newark, AccelaPure, has signed a 10-year lease for a 40,000-square-foot headquarters at Bainbridge.

The development -- to cost an estimated $1 billion -- is being lauded by officials across the state as a model for BRAC developments. Plans call for a massive public trail system for hiking and biking, a fitness center with a pool and a community center."

BRAC + traffic = restructuring Routes 24, 22 and 40. Carpool anyone?

2007-05-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

According to a story in this today's Aegis, it appears BRAC will require some serious road improvements to Routes 24, 22 and 40. The story said that at a Tuesday meeting of the Harford County Transportation Management Association, the county's land use and transportation chief Janet Gleisner

"emphasized the importance of considering carpooling or other transit methods while the county restructures its major roads ..."

Another meeting is scheduled in late June to discuss the work to be done on I-95, the story said.

If all these roads are getting overhauled at the same time, lets hope they get that hovercraft up and running so we can all get where we're going.

The News Journal tackles the Chesapeake Science and Security Corridor

2007-05-21T05:44:00.001-07:00

The News Journal in Delaware has another good BRAC story today. This morning, reporter Kristin Harty covers the issues of BRAC-related development on Route 40. Apparently we have renamed this stretch of truck stops and cheap motels (along with I-95 running parallel) the Chesapeake Science and Security Corridor. In this story and in the one she wrote for Sunday's paper, Harty does a nice job of adding a lot of color and description to issues that have up to now be written about from the rather dry perspective you get from covering official meetings of newly formed groups with long names.

Check it out here.

Here's a link to Sunday's story.

Here's a link to a Business section story on BRAC contractors who might look for office space in Delaware.

Great BRAC story in Delaware's The News Journal today

2007-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Delaware's The News Journal ran a great story on BRAC's expected impact in Cecil County this morning. Reporter Kristin Harty found someone who already moved to Elkton from Fort Monmouth, N.J. and interviewed him about his regional vice president job at MITRE, a technology research firm soon to open an office at the Water's Edge Corporate Campus in Belcamp. While much of the specifics about what BRAC will bring remain a murky mystery, this story does a great job of putting what we do know into perspective. And, more importantly, it's an easy read.

Check it out here.

Could BRAC boost our gas tax?

2007-05-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

I just came across this Gazette.net story on Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown's talk to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce where he suggested that an increased gas tax would be a more reliable way to raise the money needed for BRAC-related road improvements.

"So far, the state has funded about $6 billion in transportation improvement projects related to the Base Realignment and Closure changes, but some $16 billion worth remains, Brown said during a Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
"With the state also facing a structural budget deficit of more than $1 billion and other needs such as for health care, officials are looking for fresh ways to cut costs and raise revenue, said Brown, who leads a BRAC state sub-Cabinet committee formed earlier this year."

The story went on to say:

"A higher gasoline tax would be a more reliable revenue source than increasing the corporate income tax due to fluctuations when the economy slows, said Brown, a former delegate from Prince George’s County."

Greenway Farm foreclosure rescheduled for June 13

2007-05-16T06:50:00.000-07:00

This item ran in today's Baltimore Sun:

"Originally scheduled for this morning, the Greenway Farm auction has been
delayed until June 13. It is to be held at Beechtree Golf Club in Aberdeen.

The auction does not include the first phase of the development, which
is under construction by national builder K. Hovnanian Homes. Auctioneer A.J.
Billig & Co. says the rest of Greenway Farm -- about 85 acres, approved for
414 homes -- is up for grabs. The land is next to Bulle Rock golf course in
Havre de Grace."

York County, Pa. has joined the BRAC attack planners

2007-05-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

A story in today's York Dispatch newspaper says that officials in this southeastern Pennsylvania County have joined the Chesapeake Science and Security Corridor Consortium:

"The impact of the move, a military base realignment, is expected to diffuse into York County -- in particular the southeastern portion -- as people move here and work at and around Aberdeen, said Felicia Dell, executive director of the York County Planning Commission.
County commissioners last week formally agreed to join the Chesapeake Science and Security Corridor Consortium, a partnership of governments working together to prepare for the effect of the jobs."

BRAC business talk scheduled May 22 at Harford Community College

2007-05-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

This brief item ran in today's Baltimore Sun:

"Harford Community College's Small Business Development Center will hold a conference, "BRAC and Your Bottom Line," at 3:30 p.m. May 22 at the Chesapeake Center in Bel Air.
The conference will feature information on the military base realignment and closure process, known as BRAC, and its impact on the county's small businesses.
The conference will begin with a "meet and greet" with APG-related federal agencies and contractors. From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the program will include dinner, an interactive panel discussion, and sessions on security clearance requirements, navigating APG and reaching the new residential market.
A $20 fee to cover dinner and materials will be charged. A registration form is available at www.harford.edu/sbdc.
Information: sbdc@harford.edu or 410-836-4237, ext. 1."

BRAC numbers discussed during panel; funding still troublesome

2007-05-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

A BRAC timeline was discussed by Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and other officials on a panel organized by The Associated Press for a Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association conference Friday. According to a story on the panel that appeared in the Army Times:

"'New employees will start showing up noticeably in 2009, with a 'big spike' arriving in 2010 and 2011, said George Mercer, a spokesman for the proving ground in Harford County. About 8,200 direct jobs are projected to come to the facility.
“'You will see some before that and it’ll start increasing in 2009, but 2010-2011 is when you’re going to see a lot of new people,' Mercer said."

The story also said:

"The estimated number of people who will be coming remains in flux. Overall, Brown said between 14,000 and 16,000 direct jobs are expected to be coming to Maryland. The numbers rise to between 45,000 and 60,000, when indirect jobs, including mostly contractors, are added into the mix."

But, the story said, for all the changes that will be required in terms of transportation, work force training, increasing mass transit capabilities, making affordable housing available and finding water sources, funding is still in question.

"In the state’s six-year transportation planning cycle, 54 BRAC-specific projects have been mentioned, with costs amounting to an estimated $16.2 billion. Funding for only about $6 billion has been identified, Brown said."

According to the story, officials said they expect the increase in property and income taxes new workers will bring will help pay for much of what will be needed.

Of course, (my thought here) following that logic, we'll have to wait for these folks to buy houses in order to pay for our roads and schools to absorb them -- and us.

Will BRAC transform Route 40?

2007-04-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

A story in yesterday's Baltimore Sun says BRAC could alter the streetscape along Route 40 in Harford and Cecil counties. It sounds like we could lose the whole tired truck-stop vibe along much of that strip. But officials say to make improvements to the route they'll need zoning concessions to put housing and offices in areas that have environmental and water issues.

According to the story:

"Developers are asking officials for zoning flexibility as they strive to meet the demands for housing and offices that will accompany the nationwide military base realignment, known as BRAC.
"'Most of what we have to develop has something on the site to demolish or an environmental issue or water problems,' said Clark Turner, a prominent developer, in a speech at a BRAC event last week. "We need flexibility in zoning [as an incentive]. We need to work together because this is Smart Growth in the greatest sense of the word.'"

Officials at the BRAC event last Wednesday endorsed the creation of the Chesapeake Science and Security Corridor along U.S. 40, the story said.

"It will offer exciting mixed-use opportunities for retail and commercial," said Chris Moyer, senior development officer with Baltimore Development Corp.

Officials also expect the folks moving to Harford and Cecil counties as a result of BRAC, will boost the counties' tax base.

"Most of the new employees, whose average annual income will be $86,000, are expected to relocate in Harford and Cecil counties. Each will pay as much as $12,000 annually in income and property taxes - revenue that could add $250 million a year to the coffers of the two counties, Turner said."

BRAC's promise to attract thousands to Harford County wasn't enough to keep one national developer in the game at Bulle Rock

2007-04-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

It seems the possibility of 30,000 people moving to Harford County as a result of BRAC's moving jobs from Fort Monmouth, N.J. to Aberdeen Proving Ground wasn't enough to convince home builder K. Hovnanian Homes to hold onto its plans to put 690 homes on a parcel of land at Bulle Rock, according to a story in today's Baltimore Sun.

The first phase of the development is already under construction, the story said, and will be built. However, about 85 acres - approved for 414 homes - is to be auctioned May 16 at the golf course clubhouse. The story said the debt on the land, which Acacia Capital Corp. bought to develop for K. Hovnanian Homes, is about $28 million.

". . . the builder said yesterday that it had changed its plans because the
group of local investors that financed the deal - the original owners - wanted
more for the land than K. Hovnanian or the developer thought it was worth."

According to the story, a large portion of the new home project:

". . . is scheduled for foreclosure auction next month, an apparent victim
of the sharp slowdown in the housing market that has hurt builders across the
country. Lenders filed to foreclose on the undeveloped part of the upscale Greenway Farm, next to Bulle Rock golf
course in Havre de Grace, after its
owner fell into default."

"It's part of a wave of foreclosures that has hit developers as well as
homeowners, particularly in the suburbs and exurbs."

Schools, taxes are topics at Monday's BRAC Town Hall meeting

2007-04-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

Concerns about BRAC related tax increases and whether county schools can handle all the students BRAC might bring were two of the topics discussed at Monday's BRAC Town Hall meeting at the Bel Air High School auditorium, according to a story in Wednesday's Aegis. The story said Harford County Executive David Craig said that a new middle school is to be built in the Emmorton area when the population of the new combined Patterson Mill Middle/High School -- scheduled to open this fall -- eventually expands to the point where the middle and high schools need to be separated each into their own buildings. The story says he mentioned that a site is being scouted for new elementary school in the Bel Air area. (I'm guessing he means the Vale Road Elementary School which was slated to go in on Vale Road just west of Red Pump Road but has been held up by sewage capacity issues.) And the story said he said three other new elementary schools are "in the pipeline to help support county growth."

With regard to residents' questions about possible tax increases releated to BRAC, the Aegis story said:

"Craig assured them increased operating expenses would likely be offeset by the new taxpayers moving into the county for BRAC-related jobs."

The story said Craig referred people to the www.marylandready.com website for more information and said that more refined information would be available in August.

Wondering how to get a BRAC job?

2007-04-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

From everything I've read it looks as though the Army is desperately seeking 8,200 workers to staff the jobs moving from Fort Monmouth to APG in the next few years. However, it's not particularly easy to find job listings for these and the additional approximately 10,000 contractor positions that would support them. But I just noticed a story that ran recently in The News Journal in Delaware that quoted Harford County's BRAC manager Karen Emery as saying that a BRAC jobs database of sorts is in the works. According to the story:

"Maryland economic development officials are working on an Internet 'employment portal' that will list all BRAC job opportunities at www.marylandready.com, Emery said. No launch date has been set.

"'We're developing a prototype as we speak,' Emery said."

I noticed the Maryland Ready site does have already available a "BRAC Barometer." This feature offers an article for the month of April on our area's "labor shed." According to the article, those of us in the "shed" are rather smart. (More than half of us they surveyed had a bachelor's degree or higher.) We make a decent living. (The survey showed our average salary came in just under $60K.) The "shed" is a bit lacking in folks with expertise in engineering and logistics. But we have plenty of people with business experience.

BRAC Town Hall meeting

2007-04-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

The big BRAC meeting scheduled for tonight at the Bel Air High School auditorium was to be the first in a series to be sponsored by the Harford County Office of Economic Development. A story in last week's Aegis highlighted some of the points that were likely to be covered at the meeting. They included:

Fort Monmouth officials are working with Baltimore area colleges to recruit local graduates who would either start working at APG this summer or who would move to Fort Monmouth to start work there and later move to APG when their jobs relocate. The story said the military needs to hire 500 workers in these fields: electrical and computer engineers, computer scientists and business managers.

APG is expecting a net gain of 8,200 jobs on post with an additional 7,500 to 10,000 jobs off post. Total new jobs in Harford County: 15,700 to 18,200.

Most jobs will come in 2011-2012.

Average annual salary for on-post jobs: $86,765. Total on-post payroll: $711,473,000

Average annual salary for off-post jobs: $83,100. Total project annual salary: $831 million

New homes expected: 1,710 to be built in Harford County each year between 2007 and 2015

Average new home cost as of 2007: $288,956

New property tax revenue to be generated as of 2007: $5,347,170

Average new home cost as of 2015: $410,925

New property tax revenue generated as of 2015: $7,602,060

Total new homes expected in that span: 15,390

Total new property tax revenues: $57,700,530

Harford County is also expected to see more commercial building. According to the Aegis story, the county has 5.7 million square feet available at 11 sites: Forest Hill business parks, Park Centre at Plum Tree, Box Hill Corporate Center, Abingdon Woods, Emmorton Business Park, Carter-Mills property at the Route 543 and I-95 interchange, Water's Edge Corporate Campus, the Close property, Hickory Ridge and Hardee's business parks, Grace Harbor Office Park and Hillside Office Park in Havre de Grace.

BRAC Community Town Hall Meeting scheduled April 16

2007-04-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

I've seen this notice of a BRAC town hall meeting in the local paper and at the APG Maryland at the Ready website:

Community Town Hall Meeting
at Bel Air High School Auditorium, April 16, 2007, 7-9 PM. Free and open to the public. For ADA assistance, contact Sharon Grzanka at scgrzanka@harfordcountymd.gov or 410-638-3391 one week prior to the event.

Attention Contractors:
C4ISR Pre-Solicitation Notice

Download the Notice

I'm still looking for more information on what might be on the agenda and who might be speaking. I'll post if I find out more.

Defense Department buys Harford County farmland to protect Army test area and Deer Creek

2007-03-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post reports today that the Defense Department is

"...spending $1.4 million to protect 163.5 acres of farmland in northeastern Maryland from new-home construction, preserving a scenic habitat so that tanks and Humvees can keep roaring around the Army's off-road test course nearby."

According to the story:

"By using the farmland as a buffer zone, the Army will not have to worry about urban encroachment disrupting training and testing that has gone on at the Army's Churchville Test Area, a part of the Aberdeen Proving Ground, for 65 years.
The Army will celebrate the creation of the buffer zone at a ceremony Wednesday with its partners -- the Harford County government, the Harford Land Trust and the Hopkins family, which has raised crops, cattle and horses on its farm since 1955."

The story says the plan has environmental benefits as well:

"Army officials were concerned that if residential development took place, training would be restricted to a smaller area inside the Churchville site. Tad Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety and occupational health, said that could "cause us not to be able to do the testing that we need to do as close to the combat conditions as we would like to shake out those vehicles and weapons systems."
The conservation easement will protect Deer Creek, which separates the farm from the testing grounds and is part of a watershed that provides drinking water for nearby northeastern Maryland communities that are growing in population."

Looks like BRAC could bring good jobs for college graduates willing to move

2007-03-09T19:10:00.000-08:00

The BRAC supplement that came in today's Aegis newspaper included a story that indicated BRAC could bring a lot of jobs for young people just out of college. In the story, Harford County's BRAC manager Karen Emery was quoted as saying:

"They're looking for college graduates with 3.0 or higher GPAs, where they would work in New Jersey for the first year or so until the mission moves to Maryland."

Aberdeen Proving Ground is expected to get 8,200 new positions as a result of BRAC. The majority of those jobs will be at the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Life Cycle Management Command in Fort Monmouth, N.J. Jobs at this command are expected to be available between 2009 and 2010. Officials say it's possible that a majority of those people currently holding those jobs will decide not to move to Maryland (60 percent are eligible to retire), leaving openings for electronics engineers, management and program analysts, inventory managers, security specialists, computer engineers and logistics managers.

The story says that workers who are willing to work at the location in Fort Monmouth for awhile could possibly get their salary raised to the $80,000 level by the time they move the unit down to APG. The story says the contact person for these jobs is Kristine Ryskamp at Fort Monmouth 732-532-8963 or Kristine.Ryskamp@us.army.mil.

BRAC jobs are on the way, but we're all going to have to get a lot smarter

2007-02-20T17:07:00.000-08:00

A story in today's Baltimore Examiner newspaper says that a good portion of the jobs that are coming to Aberdeen Proving Ground are going to require workers who have more than a bachelor's degree.

"Nearly 2,200 positions coming to Aberdeen from Fort Monmouth, N.J., require either a doctoral degree or several years of higher education beyond a bachelor’s."

Unfortunately the colleges within fewer than 30 miles of APG, don't offer much in the way of much higher education. The story says Harford and Cecil community colleges are working with Towson State and the University of Maryland to come up with ways that students up here won't have to travel too far to get their degrees.

"Harford Community College has started 22 “two plus two” transfer programs that allow students to combine two years at Harford with two years at Towson, said Vice President for Instruction Luba Chliwniak, and negotiations are in the works for another 10 to 12.
"Towson University also is offering undergraduate courses on-campus at Harford and at the Higher Education and Technology Center in Aberdeen, and the college is considering offering more Towson undergraduate programs when 100 acres of additional campus land is developed, Chliwniak said."

Otherwise, these new students are going to have to compete with people like my dear cousin who heads from her Forest Hill home to Towson hours before her first class to make sure she'll be able to score a parking space in enough time to make it to her classes start.

It seems the Harford Community College president James F. LaCalle has been giving this all some thought recently. He mentions BRAC several times in his Major Initiatives for 2007 report found on the school's website.

Some clues for BRAC news

2007-02-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

The whole BRAC issue of who's coming to APG from Fort Monmouth, NJ, when they'll arrive and where they'll live is murky at best. But I found a source of information tidbits on a website published for those who work at Fort Monmouth. It's called The Monmouth Message and it looks like it gets posted each Friday. A series of links to articles shows up on the website each week. Not all of them are relevant to the BRAC move. But this one published on Feb. 9, provided some insights. The article titled "Community gets closure update" said that a recent survey of Fort Monmouth workers indicated that 485 of their spouses would be looking for work when they make the move to APG or Fort Belvoir, Va. The article said:

"It’s estimated that about 2.600 jobs will open by the time this fort closes and, hopefully, some spouses will fill some of those positions."

The article also said:

"Also in the works is a plan for job swapping for employees whose jobs are not transferring but who would like to transfer to APG."

Construction of new facilities at APG for the incoming workers was also discussed in the article. It said the Army Corps of Engineers had hired the firm of Ewing Cole as the architect and engineering firm for the project. And it said that a date of Sept. 30 had been set for the first construction project award to be made.

The article discussed an advance team made up of interns hired in Maryland to start working with volunteers from Fort Monmouth out of trailers and leased space at APG until the new facilities were ready. Although the article added that no money had been made available for the concept.

Harford County to get 12,712 BRAC-related jobs

2007-02-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

A Washington Post story on Friday gave a good breakdown of the BRAC jobs that are expected to come to the region in the next few years:

Total: 45,232

Anne Arundel: 10,049

Baltimore: 3,145

Baltimore County: 3,898

Cecil: 2,602

Harford: 12,712

Howard: 2,259

Montgomery: 4,236

Prince George's: 3,463

Rest of Maryland: 2,868

SOURCE: Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development

(Click this link to read the study on the department's webpage.)

The study, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, estimates the job growth will create a demand for 25,000 new homes in Maryland, and warns of strains on roads and schools.

"[Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown ] said state officials hope to develop an "action-oriented strategic plan" to deal with BRAC by mid-fall. Meanwhile, county executives representing affected areas are working to create a priority list to try to get key funding for projects. The first phase of the transfer of workers is set to begin by 2009."

Some useful BRAC stats from a recent Sun story

2007-02-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

Some useful BRAC stats from a recent Baltimore Sun story on road projects needed to relieve the expect BRAC traffic onslaught:

"APG, which occupies more than 73,000 acres along the Chesapeake Bay in eastern Harford County, will gain 8,200 jobs on the post and 10,000 contractor jobs off the installation, James C. Richardson, Harford's economic development director said. It is expected to become a communications hub, and its annual budget for research and development will go from $3.5 billion to more than $10 billion, he said About 60 percent of the new positions are expected to be filled by local residents because of retirements and the reluctance of many current employees at Fort Monmouth, N.J., to move with their jobs to Maryland, officials said. About 65 percent of the proving ground workers live in Harford now and nearly 13 percent in Cecil County. "

The story also says:

"To handle the accompanying rise in traffic, the county will need major improvements along the U.S. 40 and Interstate 95 corridors; an extension of Route 715 from the post to I-95; and upgrades of Routes 7 and 755 in Edgewood, and Routes 159 and 22 in Aberdeen."

It quotes Del. Barry Glassman, chairman of Harford's legislative delegation, as saying:

"Because of the tight budget, we may have to do interim measures, such as added lanes, before we can do the larger projects."

Sounds to me like traffic is going to be tied up for years to come.

Maryland state and Harford County's BRAC planning documents now available online

2007-02-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Both the state's and Harford County's BRAC plans are now available online.

Here's a link to the state's BRAC plan. It's a doozy to download. The 334-page document took about 10 minutes to load with my broadband connection.

Here's a link to Harford County's BPAC plan. That stands for BRAC Planning Advisory Commission Action Plan. It's a mere 28 pages.

I've been reading the two of them to try to determine if the county's plan seems to address the land use, traffic, school and water supply issues that are in the state's version. I'm still plugging along.

So far, what makes me the most nervous is the number of rather essential items in the county's plan that appear to be scheduled to be finished by 2015. That's four years after all the BRAC jobs planned for Aberdeen Proving Ground are scheduled to be in place.

Here are just a few of those items that aren't scheduled to be completed until 2015:

Land Use

Regional growth Projections - Quality of life /evaluation of community / human service needs
Study fiscal impact of new development and annexation on municipal governments.
Update vacant land inventories

Traffic

Gain State recognition and funding of all identified projects and linkages
Siting of multi-modal site in coordination with APG and City of Aberdeen to ease congestion at MD 715 gate due to BRAC, Perryman access and GATE project to include parking and bus service (Ok, I don't exactly know what "multi-modal site coordination" means, but that whole easing congestion thing sounds like it's coming a little late.)
Identify funding sources available for these opportunities, such as Tax Increment financing (TIF) or private development (Did they say TAXES?)

Schools

Seek additional state funding for school construction and modernization

Public Safety

Establish adequate staffing plan to service the anticipated increase in population.

The report prefaces all this with the statement:

"The broad scope of the plan dictates that the status of actions addressed in it will be constantly changing, and for at least the near term the plan should be reviewed for update quarterly."

That leaves us four quarters before the first BRACers are expected to start arriving in 2008. Hope they pick up the planning pace.

Harford County officials say they have a BRAC action plan

2007-01-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

We have a plan, say Harford County officials charged with preparing for an influx of thousands of new county residents expected to start moving here next year due to the military's Base Realignment and Closure Plan, in a story in today's Baltimore Sun. The plan was developed during the past year using a $1.7 million federal grant. The Sun story said the plan now goes to County Executive David R. Craig. The story says the plan will get a "public airing" three months from now at town hall meeting April 18. Until then, I guess we can be rest-assured that this plan addresses the scary scenarios detailed in the state planning department's cautionary report on BRAC revealed in a Sun story last Saturday which warned that our land, water, road and school resources would be strained by the sudden influx of new residents. The Sun story says the county's plan does not provide any cost estimates for the projects it recommends. It says county officials are expected to soon give the state a list of transportation project they'd like to get state and federal money for.

"The snowball's rolling downhill, and we're going to continue to keep pace," said J. Thomas Sadowski, chairman of the county's base realignment planning advisory commission.

I hope the county gives us a way to get a easier peek at the details of this plan before April. You know how folks around here generally react to a threat of snow. It's not exactly comforting.

Scary BRAC story in Saturday's Baltimore Sun

2007-01-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

Strained water supplies, snarled traffic, housing sprawl and a plague of locusts -- this is what BRAC will bring according to a report released by state planners last week and detailed in a Baltimore Sun story Saturday. Ok. I'm kidding about the locusts. But it sounds a bit like Armageddon, nonetheless. And to think, we were so delighted not so long ago when the military announced our bases would be staying open and drawing thousands of new jobs to the area. Now, the trouble is, where are we going to put all these folks? According to a little chart that ran with the front page story, Harford County will be getting an additional 6,533 households as a result of BRAC -- more than any other Maryland county. According to the Sun story:

"The price tag to taxpayers is likely to run into billions of dollars."

But for Harford County, the story gets even more bleak:

"Families moving to Harford to take base-related jobs could buy up more than two-thirds of the high-quality housing expected to be built or for sale in the county's designated growth area, the plan cautions. But the county's plans to concentrate those new households could be foiled by lack of infrastructure, the report cautions.

"Harford and its municipalities face water-supply limits or shortages, the report says. Bel Air's water capacity is inadequate, planners say, and they warn that Aberdeen's plans to solve its looming supply crunch by desalinating Chesapeake Bay water might not get approved and completed before new workers and their families start arriving.

"The report says there is "an increased urgency for plans and actions now" to finance and build new water-supply and sewage treatment capacity, highway and transit improvements and classroom space."

The story says that Harford County Executive David R. Craig plans to unveil an "action plan" for coping with base-related growth Monday. I'll keep an eye out for that. But in the meantime, it has me thinking a plague of locusts would be the least of our problems.

What will BRAC bring? Traffic, for sure.

2007-01-24T04:54:00.001-08:00

A story in today's Baltimore Sun indicates there is a lot of hand-wringing over BRAC even at the highest levels of state government. And yet, after reading the story it appears no one really has a good handle on what kinds of challenges it will bring or a concrete plan on how to get a handle on them. However, one thing seems perfectly clear. BRAC is going to bring a whole lot more traffic. And, the congestion will likely arrive before the solution.

From The Sun story:

"Among the broader initiatives being promoted by Maryland counties is a mechanism to allow the legislature to rush projects deemed crucial, such as roads.

'Getting approval for transportation projects can be a six-year process, so we need the option of fast-tracking to help those come on board as quickly as possible,' said Roxanne Lynch, Harford County's director of government and community relations."

And from later in the story:

"'The jury's still out on whether this is going to be a net gain for the state,' said Dru Schmidt-Perkins, executive director of 1000 Friends of Maryland. 'We can't take the 60,000 or so people and sprawl them all over the place. We don't have the roads, we don't have the schools, we don't have the water. We need to do it right so we don't have a nightmare.'

"Dan Pontious, regional policy director for the Citizens Planning and Housing Association, said local officials need the state's help in preparing for BRAC-related growth, especially in dealing with the increased traffic it will generate.

"'As our highways become more clogged, people are going to be looking for other ways to get to work,' Pontious said. The state must invest in enhancing MARC commuter rail lines, he said, which can transport more workers to Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Meade while serving the needs of other Maryland commuters."

Greater Baltimore Committee makes BRAC a priority

2007-01-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

The Greater Baltimore Committee announced in a press release today that it is making BRAC issues a priority for 2007:

"Setting up streamlined budgeting and planning processes to address looming growth in central Maryland related to federal base realignment and closure (BRAC) are among the Greater Baltimore Committee's top priorities for the 2007 General Assembly session."

"To prepare for BRAC growth, the GBC is urging that the state budget include a line item for BRAC-related projects and that state agencies implement an expedited planning and approval process for such projects. The GBC also proposes updating and funding the state's Consolidated Transportation Plan to "fully integrate the road and transit projects that are needed for BRAC," according to a priorities list issued today by the GBC."

The Greater Baltimore Committee is a group of business and civic leaders who work to help shape policy in the region.

Anticipated BRAC traffic woes came up today as well in the local Aegis BRAC "report." The Aegis asked a collection of local folks whether they knew what BRAC was. County Executive David Craig had a good handle on it. Local residents, not so much. What was a bit enlightening was the across-the-board concern people are expressing about traffic issues. In just a few years, tens of thousands of workers are going to be hitting the highways on their way to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade and all the other contracting and other businesses that will support these bases. While we may not have hard numbers on which to base housing needs or school needs we can bet that we're all likely to be tied up in traffic.

Intriguing story on BRAC hires in today's Baltimore Sun

2007-01-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

We've all heard that plenty of workers at the Fort Monmouth, N.J. military base don't want to come to Maryland when it's time to make the big BRAC move. But a story in today's Baltimore Sun reports those jobs won't go away. Instead, the Army is busy in Fort Monmouth hiring workers who will move to Aberdeen Proving Ground when the time comes. According to the story:

"A recent military survey estimating that only a small fraction of the workers at Fort Monmouth plan to follow their jobs to Aberdeen has sparked a hiring spree by the Army aimed at putting about 2,600 workers in place at the New Jersey base long before it moves to Maryland.
Those employees would 'backfill' projected losses, military officials said. The new hires - including many Marylanders - sign on with the understanding that they will start in New Jersey and move to Maryland with the base's operations.
'We are aggressively hiring from the Maryland area now,' said Sue Nappi, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations and plans at Fort Monmouth."

The story says that Aberdeen is expecting an increase of 8,200 workers at its base, with double that number to come in the form of contracting and other jobs that support the base. But they're still crunching the numbers:

"Harford is planning to award a contract for further study of the realignment's impact within the next few months and will incorporate the Army's survey into those statistics, said James C. Richardson, the county's economic development director."

BRAC cited as one reason to boost school district's public information staffing

2007-01-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

BRAC wasn't a good enough reason for state officials to give Harford Public Schools all the money it wanted to build more schools for the expected onslaught of BRAC students. However, a story in Friday's Aegis indicates it was a decent reason for the Harford County Board of Education to create a new position: public information clerk for the Office of Information and Publications. The Aegis quoted school board president Mark Wolkow saying:

"There's not a good understanding of what goes on inside the school system."

The story stated that the Office of Information and Publications produces the Harford County Public Schools monthly newspaper and newsletters.

According to the story, Director of Public Information Don Morrison, answered a board member's question about whether the new position might be premature saying:

"It's just become really problematic that we maintain all the things we do, even in the present scope, without BRAC."

The district's $420 million 2008 budget request includes 245 new positions, according to the story.

Harford County plans a zoning code revision

2006-12-31T19:17:00.000-08:00

So it looks like Harford County officials have decided to dust of the county's zoning code, last updated in 1982, according to a story in today's Baltimore Sun. Rather than a comprehensive rezoning (which County Executive David R. Craig vetoed last spring, citing concerns it allowed too much development outside of Bel Air and Route 40) they're planning a revision that could take up to two years, saying the expansion of Aberdeen Proving Ground makes the revision particularly important.

"With Harford expected to swell by as many as 60,000 residents over the next decade as a result of expansion at Aberdeen Proving Ground, officials say the planning process is as important as ever."

However, the bulk of those moving to APG from Fort Monmouth, N.J. as a result of BRAC are expected to start arriving in a year -- well before the county will have finished deciding such things as the transfer of development rights on agriculturally zoned land and changes in design standards. And a recent survey revealed that the majority of those moving here from New Jersey are likely to be young families with children looking to live in Harford County in single-family homes. If builders can build faster than code writers can write, I hope those zoning officials have enough of a head start.

So how will we stuff those BRAC kids into our schools?

2006-12-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing that it looks like a lot of these new Harford County residents coming as a result of BRAC will be children. According to a recent story in the Baltimore Sun, we're going to be squeezing into our schools. (Smaller people fit better in tighter spaces). Reporter Justin Fenton's Dec. 10 story states that Harford County officials were able to snag only a mere fraction of the state school construction funding they had an eye on to help with school overcrowding. (A condition expected to worsen exponentially when the BRACers really start to arrive in about 2008).

Read the story here.

The Examiner ran a story about the BRAC survey today

2006-12-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

The Examiner newspaper ran a story today on that BRAC survey unveiled at a Cecil County Chamber of Commerce luncheon last week. It restates the idea that the folks who will be moving here will be younger and have children. Those older Fort Monmouth military base workers are more likely to retire and stay in New Jersey. That means however many new workers we get in Maryland, the majority of them will likely be bringing kids along. Officials keep complaining that we don't any hard numbers on who will be coming and that makes it difficult to plan. So, it's looking like we may be faced with a rather sudden influx of more kids than we know what do to with. Most of the transferees are expected to arrive in 2008, giving us not much time to prepare. And the new Bel Air elementary school announced last week isn't even taking into account these BRAC kids. Perhaps we'll end up with actual trailer parks next to our schools.

How many BRACers are coming and where will they live? Study gives a bit of a glimpse

2006-12-16T18:54:00.000-08:00

The Cecil Whig newspaper reported Friday that 2,800 people (53 percent of the total) working at the Fort Monmouth, N.J. military installation were surveyed about their plans to move to Maryland as a result of the military's Base Realignment and Closure Plan.
The findings indicated that most of those who responded to the survey planned to look for single family homes in Harford County. They also indicated that the families might be bringing more children than planners initially expected.
According to Cecil County Economic Development Director Vernon Thompson, who presented the study findings to a Chamber of Commerce lunch at the Northeast River Yacht Club Thursday:

“One thing the survey reveals is that those coming will be younger and have more children than we first expected,” Thompson said.

The BRAC plan is expected to relocate about 6,000 jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground, starting in 2008 and ending in 2011. Harford County is bracing for an influx of thousands for those jobs and the many others that will support them. Schools are mulling how to accomodate the sudden growth with many schools already over capacity. Developers are asking cities in Harford and Cecil Counties to annex land so they can build more housing for the expected influx. Neighbors opposed to the developments are getting organized in places like Aberdeen and Pacas Meadows near Bel Air.
According to the study, 20 percent of those surveyed say they plan to live in Harford County. Five percent are looking to move to Cecil County, 11 percent plan to move to Delaware and 9 percent plan to move to Pennsylvania. The majority are looking for single-family homes and they're willing to commute anywhere from 10 minutes to one hour to get to work in Aberdeen. Forty-percent of the spouses of those who will work at APG will be looking for jobs in industries like health care and education.
According to Cecil County Economic Development Director Vernon Thompson, planners want to make Route 40 the place for international companies that are expected to come here as a result of the realingment.

Voters defeat Aberdeen annexation

2006-12-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

In what might be a sign that making room for BRACers might not always make Harford County residents happy, voters in Aberdeen yesterday defeated an annexation that would have brought more housing to the area. According to the unofficial vote published in Wednesday's Baltimore Sun, the plan was defeated by a 1,340-745 vote among city residents and a 19-18 vote among residents in the annexation parcel. Developers of The Wetlands project wanted the City of Aberdeen to annex more than 500 acres where the developers wanted to build upscale housing for more than 1,000 homes including townhouses, garage villas, condominums and houses at an average sales price of $350,000. The Sun story reported that a $20,000 impact fee would be assessed on each home to help offset the infrastructure costs of roads, schools and water services. The federal government's Base Realignment and Closure plan is expected to add approximately 8,200 jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground and additional thousands throughout the area. The City Council unanimously approved the annexation in June despite the objections of hundreds of residents who attended meetings on the matter. Residents then forced a referendum on the issue with a 2,500-signature petition. Although they defeated the annexation plan, the developer has already submitted a revamped plan to annex 28 acres in the Locksley Manor community, according to a story in the Baltimore Examiner. That annexation plan is expected to come before the city council sometime between January and March, the story said. The growing pains are unlikely to go away any time soon.

Big vote to watch in Aberdeen

2006-12-07T06:49:00.000-08:00

Aberdeen voters go to the polls Dec. 5 to decide whether to allow the city to annex 523 acres to make room for a development of more than 1,000 homes that is expected to house some of the the thousands expected to come to Maryland by 2011 due to the military's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) plan. The plan has been highly controversial with supporters and opponents both putting their views on the Internet with rather sophisticated websites. For: www.aberdeenannexation.com; Against: www.saynoannex.com. Since residents forced this referendum with a 2,500 signature petition after the City Council approved the developers' plan by a 5-0 vote this past June, the issue has created a lot of heat. It was the subject of a Baltimore Sun story Monday. The story indicates that no matter how the vote shakes out, the issue is unlikely to die since the developer of the Wetlands project has already submitted a revamped plan. An organizer of the opposition group is quoted in the Sun story as saying:

"It's not just this one annexation," said Bobbie Randles, an organizer of the group. "[The base realignment] seems to be giving developers some leverage over government to push through their agendas. We're concerned we could get into a bad situation."

The tug of war up there by Aberdeen Proving Ground, where about 8,200 new jobs are scheduled to come, will be interesting to watch.

Harford County gets $1.7 million fed grant to help figure out where to put the BRACers

2006-12-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

A story in today's Aegis newspaper says the Harford County Office of Economic Development received a $1.7 million grant Thursday to help figure out just how many BRACers are coming and where they will likely live. The grant is the second this year from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment. The county earlier received $300,000. The story said the study would be regional and would also look at Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Cecil County.

BRAC deadline

2006-11-21T06:31:00.000-08:00

So when are the BRACers arriving? According to the US Army's Civilian Personnel website: "BRAC must be completed by September 15, 2011. The Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM) is the Army’s lead organization for the BRAC process. The Office of the Assistant G-1 for Civilian Personnel provides support, policy, and guidance for all human resource issues related to BRAC."

Welcome to the Harford BRAC blog

2006-11-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

I'm a Bel Air resident, freelance journalist and blogger (publisher of Bel Air News & Views). I decided to start this Harford BRAC blog for those who live in Harford County now and those we're expecting thanks to the military's Base Realignment and Closure plan. Harford County is expecting some 30,000 new jobs to come to this area as a result of the military's plan to streamline its operations and redirect some 8,200 military jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground.
While BRAC's impact will be felt in many areas of the state, here in Harford County we're in for a lot of changes that are likely to come in a short amount of time. BRAC will bring more jobs, more traffic, more school congestion and more development. I thought I'd start this blog as a kind of clearing house for BRAC information. I'm completely unaffiliated with the military. I'm a stay-at-home mom of two kids doing this blogging while going about our life in Bel Air. But I am concerned about how BRAC will impact Harford County and I thought my position here as a Bel Air resident provided me a good vantage point to start chronicling the coming changes. I'm already concerned about what this influx of new families will mean for our schools. My son is already attending the third grade in one of five trailer classrooms at his elementary school -- built just nine years ago. I'm going to search for BRAC-related news daily and post items of interest here. I'll keep a running list of useful BRAC-related links. I'm hoping that this blog will serve as a resource for those folks who will be moving to the area as a result of the realingment as well as discussion point for those who already live here. I hope that readers will use this space to share their thoughts, ask for information and vent their frustrations (politely). Please let me know if there is anything that should be added to this site. It's a work-in-progress. And please feel free to contribute. Thanks for reading.