Harford County stands to gain nearly $2 billion a year from increased activity at Aberdeen Proving Ground, though questions remain about the county?s readiness after a town hall meeting Monday.
County officials called the meeting to update the public on their preparations for the Base Realignment and Closure changes, which are expected to shift 8,200 on-base military and civilian jobs to Aberdeen from bases in New Jersey, Northern Virginia and Texas. During the meeting, officials revealed the latest estimates of BRAC?s impact, which should include a sizable boost to the county?s economy.
“With all the increased activity on-post ? higher salaries, purchases of food and fuel, and contract work ? the amount?s growing every year,” said James Richardson, Harford County?s director of economic development. Approximately $1 billion worth of new office space will have to be built along the Interstate 95 and state Route 40 corridors to accommodate an estimated 10,000 new off-base jobs for contractors and support industries, he said.
Harford?s economic benefit from the base, currently at about $600 million per year, is expected to hit $1.75 billion by the time all the scheduled moves are complete in 2012, Richardson said.
Questions from residents at the meeting ran the gamut from school capacity ? many schools in the areas expected to be affected are already overcrowded ? to planning and zoning ? the county has just begun an extensive rewrite, said Karen Emery, BRAC manager for the county.
County Executive David Craig moderated the question-and-answer session, and said he felt it was productive all around and addressed some of the public?s concerns about the county?s readiness.
“In many cases we?re still waiting for studies to begin,” Craig said. “I feel that our budget reflects the bricks and mortar preparations, like school construction or the wastewater treatment plant expansion.”
His proposed capital budget for 2008 reached $370 million, mostly through improvements to schools and infrastructure.
A video of the meeting and a copy of the county?s presentation will be available Tuesday on the Web site www.marylandready.com, Emery said, and the next meeting will be held sometime in August. By that time, several county-commissioned studies will have been completed to show where new residents and businesses are expected to move, she said.
