Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 13, 1993 TAG: 9307130248
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short
"This is the kind of thing that makes the government look foolish, ' said Rep. Robert Scott, D-Newport News and one of several Virginia congressmen who tried to get the facility removed from the federal Base Closure and Realignment Commission's list.
The engineering and testing center will consolidate about 1,500 military and civilian employees now working at five locations in several nearby cities.
But under the commission's recommendation, the detachment will move to Newport, R.I., even though the federal General Services Administration has a 20-year lease at almost $4 million a year on the new building and the Navy signed a 15-year commitment to the building with the GSA.
"To move into a brand-new facility custom-built for this operation and pay all of the moving expense to get here, and then turn around and spend money to move again, just doesn't make any sense," Scott said.
The commission's 4-3 vote to transfer the unit, which could take as long as six years to complete, showed that it was a close call, he said. The commission accepted the Department of Defense's suggestion that the relocation would save money. - Associated Press
by CNB