North Bay Not Happy to Pay for Servicing CFB

[peaches]

Funny you say that, corrections canada looked at it a few years ago about a possible "supermax".  Turns out it is in-hunam to put people underground...

It has been declared a national histroric site....

 

[The Bread Guy]

Funny you say that, corrections canada looked at it a few years ago about a possible "supermax".  Turns out it is in-hunam to put people underground...

Then I was treated inhumanly when being housed in "The Hole" in Shilo while a member of the Small Arms Team for Militia Prairie Area in 1979 - when will my oppression end?  ;D

Now, back to your regularly scheduled thread....

 

[GAP]

GITMO North?  ;D

Works for me!! Exclusive to Taliban, Al Quada, and NDP!!

 

[peaches]

could 650 feet of granite shut the ndp up???  doubt it...

 

[a_majoor]

No doubt a few years from now there will be some urgent need for a super hardened facility like the "Hole", which will have to be recreated for billions of dollars under either the Rocky Mountains or Quebec City...........

 

[midget-boyd91]

could 650 feet of granite shut the ndp up???  doubt it...

Also, do you really want those three groups being in such close contact with each other where they are able to plot against us all?  ;D

but anywayyyssss, back on topic, +1 to what has been said, threaten (or just circulate the news somehow) that the place would just pack up and move away because lack of funds to a place where 9 things out of 10 are already in place, because lack of funds.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The very latest, shared with the usual disclaimer....

NOTE:  The first version is the electronic version posted to the internet just before 11am EST.  The version in the quote box, sadly, was in today's paper, but was written last night - oopsie!!!!!!

City and Department of National Defence kill agreement
North Bay Nugget, 30 Jan 07, updated 1059EST
Article Link

The Department of National Defence and the City of North Bay have agreed not to pursue the letter of understanding regarding operations at Canadian Forces Base North Bay.

The intent of the 1998 proposal would have seen the city take over many services associated with the operations and maintenance of the base, in exchange for DND agreeing to remain in the city for 20 years.

Citing changing economic, social and political conditions, DND recently notified the city it would no longer be pursuing an agreement.

“This is a relief for local taxpayers”, said North Bay Mayor Victor Fedeli.

“We’re thrilled that CFB North Bay is here to stay for the foreseeable future and that the defence department will continue to support it in the same manner they support all other Canadian bases. This is a real win-win situation and allows the local base to operate on its own, without the participation of the municipality. CFB North Bay and the military families are an integral part of our larger community.

"These fine men and women are our little league coaches, our blood donors, and our volunteers for every group imaginable. This is a great day for all parties.”

The letter of understanding proposed declaring many DND facilities as surplus, turning them over to the city, and leasing them back for DND to use for a period of 20 years.

City staff or contractors would have been responsible for some of the operations and maintenance at the mess hall, recreation centre, police, streets, sidewalks and park areas.

The fate of the former Norad underground complex is still under review by DND.

DND has stated to the city that considering the events of 9/11 and the recent Canadian Forces transformation, a re-evaluation of the needs and requirements of realty assets at 22 Wing is now underway, and a decision is expected in 2007.

City, feds reach deal on base
Gord Young, North Bay Nugget, 30 Jan 07

After years of wrangling with the Department of National
Defence, the city has renegotiated a deal that could have cost more
than $50 million over 20 years.

Details were to be announced this morning during a news conference
at city hall.

But the renegotiated deal guaranteeing Canadian Forces North Bay
continues to operate will likely be an improvement over the
previous agreement reached several years ago in which the city
would have shouldered millions of dollars in military cost savings.

The original deal was struck in 1998 by the city and the federal
government after Ottawa threatened to close the base and move as
many as 600 jobs to Winnipeg due to budget cuts.

The agreement, however, was never finalized because municipal
politicians, including Mayor Vic *Fedeli* and deputy mayor Peter
Chirico, rejected the terms shortly after taking office in 2003.

The newly elected council cried foul over a letter of
understanding between the city and defence department agreed to by
former mayor Jack Burrows, former chief administrative officer Tim
Sheffield and former Nipissing MP Bob Wood, suggesting the ill-
conceived "cost sharing" deal would cost North Bay taxpayers
million of dollars annually.

The agreement was supposed to take effect when Norad operations
moved into the new $25-million above-ground complex, which
officially opened last October. But the city has been lobbying
Ottawa to scrap the deal, suggesting municipal taxes shouldn't be
used to subsidize the Canadian military.

According to documents obtained by The Nugget, the deal could have
cost the city as much as $52 million over two decades - $1.1
million annually in lost taxes and another $1.5 million each year
to provide services at the base such as snowplowing, policing and
fire protection.

Under the agreement, the city would have assumed ownership of the
land and most of the buildings at CFB North Bay, footing the bill
for operations and maintenance, while losing out on the taxes it
once collected.

The deal also called on the city to provide services including
food, medical and dental, a recreation centre, family resource
centre, auto and ceramic clubs, and a chapel.

The defence department, meanwhile, would continue to operate the
base for at least 20 years, ensuring hundreds of jobs remained in
the city.

The city was also to assume the underground complex as part the
deal, but it's not known whether that's included in the new
agreement. *Fedeli* has been marketing the underground complex as a
potential data storage centre, hoping to attract a large "IBM-like"
company to the city.

 

[The Bread Guy]

One last tidbit, showing the REST of the political element here - is this MP just a touch optimistic?  Shared with usual disclaimer...

Anthony Rota pleased DND drops Liberal-negotiated letter of understanding
North Bay Nugget, 30 Jan 07, 1355EST
Article Link

Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota supports the quashing of a deal negotiated with the former Liberal government of Jean Chretien and the city to keep Canadian Forces Base North Bay open for another 20 years.

The federal government had plans to close the base and move Norad operations to Winnipeg, but former MP Bob Wood, the Department of National Defence and North Bay city council negotiated a deal to keep it open, provided the city assumed most of the services such as fire protection.

Mayor Vic Fedeli said the deal had the potential to cost city taxpayers up to $2 million a year.

Rota said he is pleased with the new agreement that will keep the base open and not cost city taxpayers money.

“DND’s decision not to pursue the 1998 letter of understanding is very welcome news,” he said.

Rota said he has been engaged in this issue since elected in 2004.

“Today’s announcement brings a positive end to years of negotiations, said Rota, adding, "It was unreasonable to expect the City of North Bay to finance services and maintain buildings that were deemed surplus by the Department of National Defence, and lease them back to DND to use for 20 years. I am glad that the burden has finally been lifted.”

Rota said the announcement also bodes well for the long-term future of CFB North Bay.

“I have never been shy about emphasizing the importance of CFB North Bay to the current and previous ministers of national defence,” said Rota, “and it is gratifying to see that the government is committed to keeping the base operational for the foreseeable future.”

 

[peaches]

So here's what happened today in regards to 22 Wg North Bay.  The original deal is off, the city is off the hook.  DND will be putting more $$ into the base, including a new barracks.  As well, a militia unit from SSM will be moving on to the base to take over some of the buildings. 

As for the "hole", DND is doing a review to see whether or not the facility has a future military need.  This will be completed this summer.  If it is not longer required, it will be handed over to the city.



Peaches

 

[armyvern]

... including a new barracks.  ...
As for the "hole", DND is doing a review to see whether or not the facility has a future military need.  This will be completed this summer.  If it is not longer required, it will be handed over to the city.
Peaches

After they build those new barracks it would seem from your post. And apparently the cycle continues unabated!!

Build something new, something is surely to close in the area.

 

[17thRecceSgt]

After they build those new barracks it would seem from your post. And apparently the cycle continues unabated!!

Build something new, something is surely to close in the area.

That was the case in Summerside. 

 

[geo]

I remember the CF spending a bundle on the Mobile Command HQ is St Hubert.  Within months of the new Op Centre being activated, they shut the place down......

Been there, done that, closed that..... next!

(shall we start selling raffle tickets to determine when they'll close the place down?)

 

[Boxkicker]

  Chilliwack!!

 

[eurowing]

Lahr....  Brand new hospital.  Now a premier cardiac clinic for the Schwarzwald area.

 

[geo]

Heh.... examples of the CF giving back to the local community?!?!

 

[Long in the tooth]

Interesting disagreement about off loading in North Bay.  We had a similiar bun fight here in Winnipeg that was just resolved.  The base wanted the city to take over maintenance of a road that led past the base and kept it blocked to through traffice until they got their way.

Further discussions are taking place regarding the south side where the PPCLI used to be.  The anti poverty/social activist camps only see the PMQs as 'free housing', not realizing that grants in lieu of taxes amounted to millions of dollars.