Harford County officials spent this week getting to know other communities that will be dealing with the realignment of military bases ? and found that Harford seems to be setting the pace.
Denise Carnaggio, acting director of the Office of Economic Development, and Aberdeen Mayor S. Fred Simmons spent the last three days at a federally sponsored conference in Atlanta for communities affected by the Base Closure and Realignment process commonly referred to as BRAC.
“[We?re hoping to learn] how to best navigate the entire BRAC process … and how to make the transition easier for the people coming from Fort Monmouth [N.J.],” said Aberdeen City Manager Doug Miller.
Officials compared notes with people from towns who would gain jobs and those who would lose them, but Harford County seemed to be ahead of others in preparing for the changes, Carnaggio said.
County Executive David Craig?s creation of a countywide committee on dealing with BRAC changes put Harford ahead of the curve, she said.
The committee includes subgroups which will examine the county?s employment base, land use and infrastructure.
Simmons, Carnaggio and other officials from Aberdeen joined almost 900 representatives from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, different branches of the Armed Services, and government offices ranging fromstate level to towns.
The invitation-only conference included seminars from Tuesday to Friday on planning for growth and redevelopment, education and work force training, historic preservation and responding to closure and realignment of the bases.
Harford County is expected to gain as many as 8,200 jobs at Aberdeen Proving Ground during the next five to 10 years, Carnaggio said, as BRAC closes facilities in Fort Monmouth and moves them to Aberdeen.
