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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-27-HATS-min HATS meetine: June 27, 2013 HATS members attending: Selectmen Mike Rosenberg, HATS chair, Bedford, Steve Ng, Concord, Peter Braun, Lincoln, Planning Board representatives Bob Dommtz, Lincoln, Lisa Mustapich, Bedford,Nancy Ronchetti, Lexington, at-large representatives Andy Fnedlich, Lexington, John Willson, Bedford. Others attending: Dorothy Steele and Amber Goodspeed, Massport; Charles Benway, Executive Director Defensive Technology Initiative (DTI); Anne Marie Dowd, Executive Vice President, Mass. Development; Lou Sidens, Minute Man National Historical Park, Maggie Debbie and Keith Backman, Bedford residents Mr. Rosenberg opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m. with welcome and introductions at the Concord Town House. There was a brief overview of what makes up the HATS membership. Update on Governor's Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force Anne Mane Dowd, Executive VP, Mass. Development, introduced Charlie Benway of DTI, a key partner with Mass. Development. The task force began by a February 2012 executive order of Gov. Deval Patrick to protect and expand the missions,jobs and economic investment of Massachusetts military installations. The task force is composed of leaders in government, industry and academia Lt Gov Tim Murray chaired the task force, but he has resigned from state government and there soon will be new leadership. They are confident that state leadership supports their mission and efforts, with U.S. Rep. Nikki Tsongas taking a leading role. Staffing and subcommittees were outlined and discussed as follows: Military mission operations opportunities and efficiencies This subcommittee meets with leadership to offer support of state agencies. Teams have toured the bases and been involved in meetings to exchange ideas regarding new investments, reducing operating costs, improving efficiencies and enhancing mission. This team includes retired military, real estate professionals, and engineers. Business industry and mission alignment This subcommittee coordinates and synergizes public and private sector innovation assets brought together in an effective way to achieve objectives and support of military installations. This team includes DTI and New England Council working to meet with groups on bases,universities and organizations to keep them informed and engage them and connect them with the technology missions of HAFB and Natick Labs Education innovation and workforce development: This subcommittee works to leverage the state's educational resources, including vocational and technical schools and private and public colleges and universities to create new educational programs tailored to military installation needs Community municipal support and engagement: This subcommittee will develop military and community agreements with neighboring municipalities that would promote and protect and expand military installations in the commonwealth It is not officially set up or active but the plan is to configure it this summer as there is now activity to report on Legislative caucus: This subcommittee coordinates between the House and Senate to bolster support for the military and assist with legislation. There is currently a bond bill being coordinated. Military leadership This committee is comprised of retired officers to provide advice and counsel to the task force. Website and access to information was discussed. The task force has been busy the last 18 months and brought on many partners to assist in mission Members have toured installations and met with leadership to be able to outline opportunities to support them For example, they went with General Moore and Colonel Weilacher to Scituate to see if the Commonwealth can assist with the recreational area there that is deteriorating. They are working with Congresswoman Tsongas, to obtain the Air Force secretary's commitment to retain core mission at Hanscom AFB, and for Gen Moore to continue a presence at Hanscom and work with the task force to pursue mission opportunities. There was also a State House meeting with Gov. Patrick and Gen. Moore to maintain collaboration there as well. Mass Development published last August an economic impact analysis of all six bases in the commonwealth. They are contributing $18.5 billion to the Massachusetts economy and 46,000 jobs Hanscom alone contributes about $8.4 billion and 18,000 jobs. Westover and Barnes combined are the fifth largest employer in Massachusetts and are important to the region as well. The governor filed a$177 million military bond bill on March 15 requesting that capital be invested in the six area military installations. There was a hearing today in front of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, where General Brooks from the National Guard and General Quenneville from Mass. Development both testified. The bill was reported out favorably and should go before the House and Senate Committee on Bonding and Capital Assets There are no earmarks in this five-year bond bill which will assist with the changing economy and shifting needs, allowing for shifts without having to go through additional legislative process. There was a discussion regarding capital investment funding, mission,projects, earmarks and Mass. Development's role in regards to the bill. Other efforts that impact Hanscom were discussed, including hiring PPSG, a public strategy firm, that met with base leadership and is performing a SWOT analysis (evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). This was discussed in relation to the potential for an upcoming BRAC. Mr. Benway also discussed evaluating criteria that would be helpful in a BRAC process, to include an advantage that HAFB has -- an available civilian airstrip adjacent to the base A possible upcoming BRAC was discussed along with other initiatives that could impact the region, including comprehensive energy audits through the Department of Energy, and shared service agreements between governments and municipalities based on the Monterey project with table top discussions. Also a priority is showing that proximity matters in relation to the region's innovation cluster of intellectual assets and how this assists with delivering mission and enhancing capability, including a focus on cyber capability. Also discussed was expansion of Hanscom's Vandenberg Gate, including an exchange of land between the state and the Air Force There was further discussion as to how spending on the bond bill would work and what projects it might finance There was a discussion as to whether the impact of a virtual BRAC already had started with the reorganization of HAFB Materiel Command,where HAFB is left with fewer resources to advocate for funding and programs The Defense Department is under pressure, taking large reductions with budget uncertainty, and looking for ways to save money There are things they can do without a BRAC, for example move leadership to another base. Leadership,progress and initiatives were discussed. Mr. Rosenberg shared some comments from Mr. Corcoran, director of community relations at HAFB. There is a tentative date in November being considered for a visit from the Air Force Chief of Staff for a short stay, likely one day only with no social time. Sequestration has resulted in some restrictions and beginning on July 12 there will be civilian employee furloughs every Friday for 11 weeks. There was a discussion about preserving mission at the expense of the infrastructure and advocating for the need for a base with a military perimeter and the protections that go along with being a base Mr. Benway discussed opportunities and investments that have been identified at HAFB. The first criterion is enhancing mission and the second is lowering the cost of doing business. Hanscom's mission is developing and acquiring command and control for cyber capabilities and delivering them to the field Three initiatives at work in the area were discussed -- IT test range for rapidly testing new capabilities and rapidly moving through the acquisition process to get to the field; -- Cyber collaboration center to bring together government,universities, industry and other organizations to compliment each other with more than just military capabilities, -- Cyber minute man initiative to leverage the area's center of gravity position by producing an elite cyber workforce Workforce initiatives, certification programs,budgets and cuts, support, and bill and BRAC time frames were discussed. Mr. Rosenberg commended the task force for the scope of their efforts and there was a discussion about how the HATS communities can contribute to the status of the base overall and to mitigate the impacts of sequestration The committee thanked the guests for all their hard work and they appreciated being invited to participate in this conversation. Due to time constraints, it was decided to postpone discussion of the remote participation provision in the open meeting law until the next meeting. Mr. Rosenberg will bring this topic before the Bedford Selectmen Mr Braun thanked his colleague for attending Regional Transportation Updates. The water project on Bedford Street in Lexington has already disrupted traffic and is expected to go into the fall Fiber optic cable is being installed through a federal contractor on the base and will impact Lexington through the fall The Crosby Corner construction project has started, and Mr. Braun discussed the Lincoln Selectmen's newsletter's reference to the changing Route 2 landscape over the last six months. The project will go into 2016 The biweekly meetings regarding the project were discussed Issues include tree removal, wetlands and traffic. Mr. Friedlich announced that Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti is the newest Lexington representative taking Mr Canale's spot Also, Congresswoman Tsongas would like to attend a HATS meeting and Mr Friedlich will follow up on this Mr. Braun is attending 128 Corridor Coordinating Council meetings, chaired by the mayor of Waltham. A few weeks ago they discussed traffic with an engineer from Polaroid. The developer owns a mile of 128 frontage and what is viewable now is Phase I, with over a million square feet planned Next year plans call for opening a Market Basket and a Marshalls and other stores and businesses. There is no current traffic solution and they inherited a permit to use an existing road to connect with the Route 20 rotary. There are plans for other solutions that will need environmental review and federal approval. Traffic and solutions were discussed Phase II will include wooded land to the east and north Mr. Rosenberg said there is now a group called Middlesex III, an economic development confederation of Route 3 communities Bedford, Billerica, Lowell, Chelmsford, and Burlington, and it is getting lot of attention. Future Agenda Items and meeting schedule The Committee discussed an August meeting and moving back to the fourth Thursday of each month. It was agreed that even though it is a few months out, this schedule could begin with the October meeting unless Congresswoman Tsongas is available to attend a meeting in July and there is enough time to post the meeting Otherwise, the next meeting will be scheduled for October. The Committee discussed inviting legislators to fall meetings. There was a discussion regarding the process to approve minutes and corrections of the May 2 meeting. There was a motion made and seconded to adopt the May 2nd minutes for posting as a record of the meeting. Vote: Approved: 2-0-1 Mr. Braun made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Ng seconded the motion. Vote. Approved 3-0-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:21 p.m.