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December 10, 2009

Next wave may come in 2015

By Karen Middleton The News Courier Thu Dec 10, 2009, 09:01 PM CST

How well the area responds to the influx of BRAC transfers by 2011 might determine whether Redstone Arsenal is the site of another round of BRAC moves in 2015.

This is according to Redstone Garrison Commander Col. Robert Pastorelli, who delivered a BRAC update Thursday at Athens State University as the guest of the Greater Limestone Chamber of Commerce BRAC Committee and ASU.

Pastorelli said that 2,063 of a predicted 4,651 of BRAC jobs moving here from Northern Virginia are presently filled on Redstone Arsenal, but that doesn’t totally account for the influx. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and NASA have or are in the process of building large test facilities on the arsenal.

While 2009 has seen a relative lull in the number of BRAC transfers, it’s because $435.2 million in new construction is ongoing to accommodate the jobs. He said 2010 is expected to see the largest number of BRAC moves.

“The largest command concerns are roads, schools and medical services,” said Pastorelli. “On the issue of roads, there is a tremendous traffic backup already at Gate 9, the main gate, sometimes all the way down I-565.”

Roads

Pastorelli said roads throughout the Tennessee Valley, and especially in Madison County and two-lane feeder roads in adjacent counties will have to be upgraded to meet the demand of traffic that BRAC will bring.

Not all of these vehicles packing our interstate highways and secondary roads will be driven by Northern Virginia transferees, he said.

He said that in “direct growth,” it is predicted that 5,500 contractor jobs will result from the moves, and in “indirect growth” it is predicted that the moves would require 9,500 jobs in such fields as teaching and firefighting to support community growth.

Pastorelli said that, overall, related employment resulting from this BRAC could total 50,000 new jobs in the area.

“What if another BRAC round is announced for 2015?” asked Pastorelli. “Are we prepared? The workforce has issues. How do they get in and out of the post every day?”

Presently, 42 percent of Redstone employees travel from outside Madison County with 1,417 of them coming from Limestone County, earning an annual $119 million in salaries. Redstone jobs add an annual $2.7 billion in Tennessee Valley salaries, Pastorelli said.

“I would say Redstone is the biggest economic engine in the Tennessee Valley,” he said.

Schools

Pastorelli said there has been an average 12-percent increase in enrollment in area schools since this BRAC was announced five years ago.

He said education is one of the leading factors in the decisions of families on whether they will accept the BRAC moves. He said many turned down the moves and opted to remain in Northern Virginia where agencies and companies are offering promotions to workers to stay.

He said Northern Virginia schools are the “gold standard” in education. But a survey of Tennessee Valley schools did not find them lacking and that transferees could be assured of getting good educations for their children.

Pastorelli said that some superintendents of education predicted they would have to bring in temporary trailers to accommodate the influx of students.

“Good quality education is what matters most, not the trailers,” he said.

Pastorelli said that if local schools meet a threshold of students whose parents are employed on federal installations, those schools would qualify for Federal Impact Aid.

In higher education, Pastorelli said that Redstone would be “partnering” with colleges and universities in the area and state to meet the demand for scientists and engineers.

“Many of the people are not moving from Northern Virginia and we are working with universities to fill those jobs,” he said.

He said feeder schools, whether they are high schools or junior colleges should emphasize the need for scientists and engineers.

Medical

Pastorelli said that most every day medical care can be obtained in post clinics, but for specialized care, people will have to go off post.

“The military has Tricare (insurance),” he said. “Are there enough Tricare physicians off post?”

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