Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 17, 1995 TAG: 9507170133
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BLACKSTONE LENGTH: Medium
An estimated 270 jobs would be transferred to Fort Pickett, a net gain for the area that unsuccessfully sought to reverse the fort's closing. It is estimated that about 250 jobs would be lost by the closing, which would severely hurt the economy in the surrounding area.
``The whole determination as to whether or not we go forward with that will be up to the people in the Fort Pickett area,'' Allen said.
The governor discussed the proposal Friday after meeting with government and community leaders in Blackstone. The moving cost would be about $20,000 to $30,000. Allen said the lease in Richmond runs until November 1997, and no move would occur before then.
Although targeted for closing by the federal government, the 46,000-acre fort still could be taken over by the National Guard and used for training. Public Safety Secretary Jerry Kilgore said federal authorities have ``first dibs'' on using the fort ``and then the state has the next call.''
Allen said the move would involve 270 state and federal employees. The department is spending nearly $1 million for rent and utilities for the Richmond office. The operating savings are estimated at $500,000 a year, he said.
Allen said he and Kilgore talked about the idea recently with Maj. Gen. Carroll Thackston, head of the Virginia National Guard. Kilgore emphasized that the proposal is based on the state carrying out environmental and other studies to guarantee the transfer would be a good deal for the state.
Kilgore was confident most of the 270 department workers would commute from Richmond or relocate to the Fort Pickett area. He said that 210 are federal employees and 60 work for the state.
by CNB