The army training center

Tonight I went to a meeting between the executive committee of the Westfield Residents Association (WRA) and the folks responsible for constructing the large army training center in Middletown.  As previously reported, they have chosen a site on Boardman Lane, in Westfield, and they have refused to hold another public hearing regarding this choice.  Unlike a minor two-bit land subdivision, these folks do not even have to tell the neighboring landowners what their plans are.  Boardman Lane is a beautiful country lane west of Middle Street (more here).  The Army Corps of Engineers' report on the site selection process here.  I am not entirely sure why they elected to hold a meeting with the WRA executive committee, because they did not seem interested in any of our suggestions or concerns.  Perhaps they hoped that we might be dissuaded from raising too much of a fuss about the site.  The meeting was explicitly private, I asked ahead of time if I could invite others to come and was told emphatically "no". In attendance were 5 WRA board members, a Lt. Col, a Major, a hired architect consultant, a "base transition coordinator", and Diane McCartin, the Army Corps of Engineers manager for this project. 

Ms. McCartin took us through the selection process, the assessment and approval process that the project will go through, and the general plans for the project.  Much of this was similar to what she presented at the public meeting last month.  Ms. McCartin is the ideal face for the army, she is affable, likable, and patient.  But in the end, while she projected the aura of an empathetic listener, she also made it clear that nothing we said or might do will have any impact on the project.  She illustrated this by insisting that the change of site from Maromas to Westfield was in no way a result of public pressure (they are above such petty concerns).  They abandoned the Freeman Road site because the State of Connecticut made it clear to the army that they would buy the land if the Army pursued it (the State has right of first refusal on that CL&P land).  All of our concerns about the Boardman Lane site were met with the kindness that one might show to a harmless, senile dementia neighbor who is worried about crabgrass. 

The sole approval process for the project is an Environmental Assessment. This "EA" is done by the army, for review by the army. A copy will be deposited in the public library and made available for public comments, to be reviewed by the army. The EA will not only look at traditional environmental concerns (run-off, wetlands, endangered species, soil contamination, etc), but will also address community issues like traffic, impacts on commerce, impacts on community services.  Twice, Ms. McCartin said that after this is done there will be a "Finding of No Significant Impact", and then the building can commence.  I asked her how she knew that the EA would come back so perfect, and she backtracked and said of course the FNSI depends on what the EA says.  My impression is that they will conform the EA to demonstrate the wisdom of their decision, it certainly seemed inconceivable to them that the EA would raise any issues that would impact the project. 

There were a couple of good features about their plans for the training center.  First, the Lt. Col and the Major both insist that this facility feel like a campus, not like a high-security military base.  They want soldiers and residents alike to feel that the facility is open, friendly, and part of the community.  Second, everybody present seems to be genuinely committed to building a facility that has the character of New England Architecture (I hope they don't mean it will look more like the Cromwell Walmart than the Orlando Walmart).  Several of us expressed a preference for brick buildings with window accents of marble.  

Ms. McCartin was refreshingly candid and forthcoming in a fearless way, and I reciprocated towards the end of the meeting.  I expressed my support for the interspersion of military personnel in non-military communities like Middletown, I think that is a good thing for our town and society. However I expressed my dismay that Middletown's most valuable resource, farmland and open space, was being taken away from us and we were getting a financial and traffic burden in return.   The military brass present had three responses, first that the intangible benefit of having military personnel in our community could not be overstated.  I agree, but in this location, the military personnel might interact with 5 houses on Boardman Lane, and then they'll be on I91.  Second that the training center will generate commerce for Middletown.  All of the Westfield residents agreed that the people working and training at the center would NOT support Middletown businesses, and we strongly suspect that the catering, janitorial, snowplow, and other services that the training center will hire would more likely come from Meriden, Cromwell, and Berlin than from Middletown. This site does nothing for the commercial or cultural integration of the military and Middletown.  And third that the Army was returning to Middletown a beautiful 30 acres on Mile Lane.  

Ms. McCartin convinced me that as far as the army is concerned no amount of public outcry will change the site.  However, I would like to find out if outcry by elected officials can change the site.  I would like to call on Mayor Giuliano, our Common Council, and our State and Federal representatives to vigorously pressure the Army to go outside of Middletown. I would also like to know if the Army's selection of the firm to design and build will be based in part on the aesthetics of the structures being built.  I will request a copy of the RFP from Ms. McCartin.  Finally, I would like the EA to be available on-line, I have already asked Ms. McCartin for this.  

The WRA will be meeting on Thursday evening to discuss what to do. I will report on that meeting.