RICHMOND —
Opportunity is knocking on the door of the Blue Grass Army Depot’s chemical weapons destruction site.
“It’s a distant, faint knock at the moment,” said Craig Williams Wednesday during a press conference to address the site’s future after weapons disposal. “When it comes to the door and knocks louder, we want to be able to greet it and be prepared.”
A $120,000 grant has been issued to study future possibilities for the weapons disposal plant site after the weapons are gone.
Williams, a member of the Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board (CDCAB), gathered with individuals representing several different sectors to announce the project’s intent.
“Some (chemical weapons storage) sites didn’t prepare,” he said. “You can read stories in the newspaper in places like Anniston (Alabama) and elsewhere. Headlines read, ‘900 workers to be laid off.’ We’re not going to do that here. There will be about $1 billion worth of infrastructure remaining (after the weapons are destroyed.) There also will be hundreds of workers, many of them highly skilled. We want to start now to find out how we can keep as many of them here as we possibly can. The way that we’re going to do that is this study that we’re launching today.”
Funding for the first phase of the plan came through the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.
The study will allow a strategic plan to be made that will ensure the sustainability of the depot, according to David Duttlinger, a representative of the Blue Grass Area Development District.
“Currently, there are no plans in place,” he said.
Duttlinger explained the three phases of the economic development project.
Phase one will be a job-loss aversion study, phase two will be an analysis of the site’s existing infrastructure and phase three will consist of developing a strategy to repurpose the facilities upon completion of the program.
The first phase is to be completed by June 1. Future financial requests for the study include $250,000 for phase two and $130,000 for phase three.
Former state representative Harry Moberly, who now serves as a CDCAB member, said he wanted to be sure the Blue Grass Army Depot is not shut down by the federal government in the future.
“We need to have some opportunities (for the site) on line before the job (of chemical weapon destruction) is finally accomplished. This is the biggest economic development project that’s ever come to Madison County.”
Starting to plan now will allow more time to find a way to expand the site’s capabilities, according to Daryl Smith, a member of the Blue Grass Workforce Investment Board.
“The demilitarization operations are scheduled for 2018 through 2021, followed by a three-year closure period,” he said. “We think we can divert some of the potential negative aspects.”
Duane Curry, Madison County’s planning and zoning director, spoke on behalf of Madison Judge/Executive Kent Clark who was unable to attend Wednesday’s press conference.
“We’re very excited about this study and the cooperation with all the partners,” Curry said. “It will benefit the region as a whole because we see a major trend of workers commuting into Madison County to work at the depot. We support the study entirely and would like to see the study continue.”
Mendi Goble, executive director of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce said she had heard former demilitarization sites referred to as “ghost towns.”
“I don’t see that happening here,” she said.
Current project staffing numbers for the chemical weapons disposal mission include 977 employees, 916 of whom work in Richmond. The additional 16 employees are spread throughout the U.S. in Washington, California, Ohio and Maryland.
To date, $85.9 million has been spent with Kentucky companies, and $47.9 million has been spent in Madison and surrounding counties.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@
richmondregister.com
or 624-6608.
Local News
Future of depot is Madison County’s ‘biggest economic development project’
Madison County
- Local News
-
-
State champs get their rings at YMCA breakfast
Two months may have passed, but Madison County continues to celebrate the state basketball championship won by the Madison Central boys team.
Team members were presented championship rings while their cheerleaders received pendants Saturday morning during a breakfast at the Telford YMCA attended by nearly 300. -
Sand artist, pastry chef wow audience at cake expo
Joe Castillo dazzled audiences while performing at Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for the Arts Saturday during the Grace with Taste Cake Expo.
Castillo, along with pastry chef Stella Parks, were the entertainment acts at the expo early in the afternoon. -
District urges students to ‘PowerMyLearning’ through the summer
Sixteen little penguins need help jumping from iceberg to iceberg as a hungry killer whale swims menacingly in the chilly water below.
The fate of the poor little penguins lies in the hands of a third-grade student, who must quickly find the answer to a math equation to lead the penguins to safety. -
Vietnam vets mark Armed Forces Day
In the 1960s and ‘70s, when many campuses around the country were the scene of anti-war riots and demonstrations, Eastern Kentucky University was naming buildings and streets for its alumni who had died fighting for their country.
-
GREAT bridges gap between cops, preteens
Bridging the gap between public misconceptions about police officers and the reality of what’s behind the uniform can be a daunting task. But, a growing program at Madison County middle schools is helping break down those barriers.
-
Exit 95 rebuild delayed until 2017
Originally scheduled for 2014, the reconstruction of Exit 95 on Interstate 75 won’t take place until 2017, Madison Judge/Executive Kent Clark told a joint meeting of the Richmond and Berea chambers of commerce Friday.
The state Transportation Cabinet is delaying the project, Clark said, until a decision is made on the proposed highway that would run from Exit 95 to Nicholasville. -
Toyota bornlearning Academy graduates parents
Seven graduates received their certificates Thursday night, but not with the customary rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
It was a celebration of the parents’ six-month journey with the Toyota bornlearning Academy at Berea Community School.
The academy works with parents and caregivers of children from prenatal to 5 years old on ways to turn everyday moments into learning opportunities. -
Caudill Middle School student showcase
Members of the Caudil Middle School Jazz Band entertain the crowd during the school's end of year student showcase Thursday.
-
Man arrested Friday after early morning break-in
Richmond police made an arrest Friday in connection with an early morning break-in at Jack’s Cleaners on West Water Street.
Scott Hobbs, 42, of McKee, was charged with first-degree burglary, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock
At 3:25 a.m., a witness reported seeing a man enter and exit the cleaners through a broken window and drive away, Brock stated in a news release. -
Grand jury indicts inmates in jail assault
Two inmates at the Madison County Detention Center were indicted Wednesday on charges related to the beating of another prisoner.
A Madison grand jury indicted 28-year-old Justin Morgan Howell and 26-year-old Lucas Wayne Shanks on charges of second-degree assault, second-degree escape and second-degree persistent felony offenders. - More Local News Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
