Red County, California

From the good folks at the city of Seal Beach:

On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, representatives of the communities of Cypress, Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor and Seal Beach met with the new commander, Brigadier General Keith Jones (see http://www.ng.mil/ngbGomo/library/bio/1233.htm). He reviewed the status of several Joint Forces Training Base topics:

1. The long-awaited real property/facility plan remains “unfinished” but is again moving. The timeline for completion is uncertain. They will complete the draft plan, seek Adjutant General Kight’s (see http://www.calguard.ca.gov/otag/Pages/BG_Kight.aspx) approval, resubmit the plan to the consultant engineering firm, seek review and approval of the Governor’s office, and release the document for public input and environmental assessment.
2. The Enhanced Use Leasing project is no longer being pursued due to other priorities and projects on the base.
3. The composting program is being held in abeyance/suspension. Adjutant General Kight’s revised is expected in mid-March, with a decision possibly by April.

4) Base improvements. Congresswoman Sanchez is supportive of funding for needed improvements to the airfield ($1.2 million has been ok’d for short term fix of the airfield out of the California National Guard facilities budget, $17 million is needed for long-term repairs); she wants the Joint Forces Training Base to have a key role in times of disaster, wants a CalEMA emergency operation center installation. They are planning two headquarter facilities; one for the National Guard and Reserves and another for the 40th Infantry Division (see http://www.calguard.ca.gov/40div/Pages/default.aspx). The 30-day public comment period for the environmental assessment for these facilities will commence in April. They are planning to go out to bid in mid-May, award construction contracts in by October, and begin construction by December 1010. Construction is expected to take 18 months.

(Minor editing for formatting. Links in original.)