Senator Joseph Kyrillos, (R-13), today introduced a Senate Resolution supporting the “Tech Preserve, Inc.” proposal which would ensure that highly trained and experienced engineers and scientists choose to stay in the Monmouth County area.
The resolution urges the Department of Defense to consider adopting this concept proposed by the non-profit Patriots Alliance, and in a letter to David Socolow, the State Commissioner of Labor, Senator Kyrillos asks that he provide an update of what the Labor Department and the Governor’s Office are planning to do to create private sector jobs that fully utilize the skills and technical expertise of the Fort’s civilian work force.
“The Department of Defense seems committed to the closing of Fort Monmouth despite the adverse effect its closing would have on the global war on terror. However, we are pursuing simultaneous tracks to try and reverse the DOD’s decision while ensuring that the local is protected,” Kyrillos stated. “It is of paramount importance that we work together to ensure that there is a viable plan in place for Fort Monmouth’s remaining employees to transfer to private sector jobs in the years ahead.”
The “Tech Preserve Inc.” concept would ensure that the state of New Jersey retains the highly skilled professional expertise now employed at Fort Monmouth. The command and control, intelligence and surveillance functions at Fort Monmouth could be either retained in a private capacity or transferred to other bases in central New Jersey.
“This initiative would ensure that highly skilled technicians and engineers stay in New Jersey. Fort Monmouth is an important economic driver in the central New Jersey area and its transition to a private research and development center would be greatly expedited by the retention of the professionals now employed there,” Kyrillos concluded.
The Department of Defense now estimates that the total cost of all the 2005 BRAC decisions, which were made with the intention of saving money, will be approximately $30.7 billion compared to the $22.3 billion originally approved the commission. In addition, data shows that the closure of Fort Monmouth could contribute to a significant shortfall of scientists and engineers in the U.S. military research laboratories over the next two decades and could hamper the country’s ability to develop the technology to fight future wars.
February 21, 2008
Honorable David J. Socolow
Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development
Office of the Commissioner
1 John Fitch Way
P.O. Box 110
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0110
Dear Commissioner:
I am writing with regard to the planned closure of Fort Monmouth and the implications that this decision will have on the people of the communities of Monmouth County. I remain convinced that the closure of the fort is profoundly misguided from both a national security and budgetary standpoint. However, while I am hopeful that there are sufficient grounds to reverse the decision of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, I am nevertheless mindful of the need to ensure that the estimated $3.2 billion annual economic impact of the fort is sustained well into the future. Moreover, I believe that the State Government needs to take an active role in assisting those people who will not be relocated to Aberdeen, Maryland, and ensure to the greatest degree possible that new private sector jobs are created at Fort Monmouth following the planned closure in 2011.
As you are aware, the concept of creating a “Tech Preserve” at Fort Monmouth has been proposed by the Patriots Alliance. The Tech Preserve would create a partnership between private companies, the State Government and the Department of the Army that would help prevent the degradation of the fort’s workforce capabilities during the transition of its functions to Aberdeen, Maryland. The Tech Preserve would also provide a mechanism to move Fort Monmouth’s employees into other defense-related contract work once the transfer of the fort’s mission is completed in 2011.
To this end, I have proposed a Senate resolution that endorses the concept of the Tech Preserve, and encourages the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army and the membership of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority to consider this proposal as a means of preserving the professional labor force at Fort Monmouth. I hope to have my resolution calendared for a vote in the appropriate standing reference committee of the Senate in near future.
It is my understanding that you have met with officials from the Department of the Army on this matter. I would appreciate it if you would provide me with an update explaining what your office is doing to prepare for this transition, what the Governor’s office is doing to compensate for the potential loss of this workforce, and ultimately what you believe the next steps need to be to ensure that Tech Preserve is advanced in the quickest manner possible.
I look forward to hearing from you and learning of your ideas regarding this matter. It is of paramount importance that we work together to ensure that there is a viable plan in place to provide for the transfer of the Fort Monmouth’s remaining government employees to private sector jobs in the years ahead.
Thank you for your kind attention to this request.
Sincerely,
Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos, Jr.
JMK:jh
Link to Post:
http://www.senatenj.com/index.php/kyrillos/kyrillos-introduces-high-tech-labor-protection-bill/234
Similar Posts:
- Kyrillos: Maryland Thinks It Can Steal Our Talent?
April 25, 2008 - Kyrillos Resolution for Reversal of Fort Monmouth Decision Advances
December 10, 2007 - DEP Cannot Serve New Jersey’s Farmers
April 23, 2008 - O’Toole: State Needs a Hospital Master Plan Now
April 9, 2008 - Kyrillos Job Creation Bill Clears Senate Committee
November 13, 2008
