Taken
from The Southbridge Evening News “Special DOD Supplement” dated Friday,
March 31, 2000:
1992:
Richard
McGrath, chairman of the Tri-Community Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic
Development Committee, and Franklin Realty Advisors, property manager of
the American Optical campus, discover an opportunity for Southbridge to
apply for the siting at the former American Optical Co. complex of a U.S.
Department of Defense Finance and Accounting Service facility, as part
of the nationwide consolidation of DOD financial operations.
Dec.
7:Edward
Galonek, from the Chamber, organizes and conducts a community-wide trade-show-style
community information program, at the AO site, which serves as the centerpiece
of a visit by the site evaluation team from the Federal Base Realignment
and Closure Commission.
1993:
January-February:Southbridge
is chosen by the DOD as one of 20 finalists nationwide to host 4,000-7,000
DFAS jobs, but the decision is not publicly announced.
March
12:U.S.
Defense Secretary Les Aspin orders that the consolidation process be put
under indefinite review.
March
16:Southbridge
mobilizes for reconsideration of the decision to review.The
Chamber begins “DOD - A Full Court Press” letter writing campaign to federal
officials.U.S. Sen. John Kerry,
D-Mass., Congressman Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Southbridge Town
Manager Florence Chandler write individually to federal officials, asking
for reconsideration.
March
26:The
Chamber, having prompted about 5,000 letters to government officials, announces
a second letter writing campaign.
June
5:Kerry
tours the AO site, meets with local and state officials and townspeople.He
promises “a blood-on-the-floor” fight with Aspin.
June
7:Aspin
announces new siting process, with a Site Selection Task Force appointed
to make recommendations.His spokesperson
points out that communities on the list of 20 semi-finalists, including
Southbridge, have an “advantage.”U.S.
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., declaring he will “go to the mat” for Southbridge,
indicates that the new siting process resulted from President Clinton’s
intercession with Aspin.Neal vows
to press even more vigorously.The
Chamber announces “Operation Home Run!”, a stepped-up effort to focus the
political process on the Southbridge proposal’s merits.Late
in the day Secretary Aspin discloses to the Commission that, in fact, Southbridge
did win 4,000 DFAS jobs in the original competition.
June
9:Gov.
Bill Weld declares that in this new selection round he and the Commonwealth
are ‘backing Southbridge to the hilt.’
June
19:Chamber
President Mark Murphy, Chandler and Chamber Legislative Liaison Michael
Coughlin meet privately with President Clinton, following his appearance
at Northeastern University’s commencement exercises.The
present a summary of the Southbridge proposal’s strengths.The
President tells them, “I am aware of Southbridge,” and promises a quick
review process.The meeting is arranged
by Kennedy.Earlier in the day, in
Boston, Kennedy and Kerry press Southbridge’s case to Clinton during a
trip from Logan Airport in the presidential limousine.Kennedy,
saying that he was very direct in his representations, adds that he was
pleased to find the president receptive.Kennedy
specially asks the president to ensure both a quick decision-making process
and that Southbridge will be named a DFAS site.Also,
Neal speaks with the president, to impress upon him the merits of the community’s
proposal and the economic stimulation it will produce.
June
22:Murphy
announces a new letter-writing campaign, designed to advance Southbridge’s
position during the upcoming Pentagon review of sites.
July
1:The
Base Closure and Realignment Commission issues to the president and Congress
its report of recommendations.It
says, in part, “although the Secretary of Defense informed this Commission
on June 7, 1993, that he has decided to implement a new site selection
process, we urge the secretary to recognize the significant effort and
individual merits of the communities which were chosen under the earlier
site selection process.”Murphy observes
that the report language applies to Southbridge and, in Massachusetts,
only Southbridge.
July
15:The
Chamber announces “Operation Home Run!”It
includes a drive for 10,000 petition signatures which, with similar petitions
originating in northeastern Connecticut and nearby Hampden County, will
be delivered to the Pentagon; an outreach program for letters and petitions
from the heads of government in communities from Northampton to Westboro
to Providence, R.I., to Plainfield, Conn.; and a comparable network of
support from local chambers of commerce in central New England.
July
19:Massachusetts
Senate President William Bulger and House Speaker Charles Flaherty sign
the Chamber’s petition.Their action,
which Murphy said demonstrates Statehouse and statewide support for Southbridge
as the Commonwealth’s only entry in the DFAS siting process, reflects a
suggestion made by state Sen. Louis Bertonazzi, D-Milford.
July
29:Lt.
Gov. Paul Cellucci is the featured speaker at a Chamber-sponsored reception
in Southbridge, highlighting the area’s strengths in fiber optics, manufacturing
and tourism.He declares to 150 business
and government leaders, “I can assure you that Governor Weld and I have
no doubt that the Southbridge proposal is one of the best nationwide, and
we will do whatever we can to ensure that it succeeds.Southbridge
truly represents Massachusetts’, even New England’s, best chance to bring
home thousands of new jobs.And
we stand foursquare behind this proposal.”Cellucci
adds his signature to the Operation Home Run! petition, as petition project
chairman Galonek announces that the goal of 10,000 signatures has been
achieved.
Aug.
10:In
a report on the Southbridge economy, PBS’s MacNeil-Lehrer Report covers
the expected impact of a DFAS facility, noting that Southbridge has the
state’s highest unemployment rate.It
quotes Southbridge Evening News Publisher Loren Ghiglione as seeing “no
sharp uptake” following the end of the recession, and quotes Chandler on
the community’s positive spirit in pursuing a DFAS facility.
Murphy
announces a total of 19,133 petition signatures have been collected from
central New England in support of the Southbridge-based proposal to strengthen
the region’s economy.The petitions
are delivered to Pentagon officials, including Brig. Gen. Gary Hahn, from
the Base Closure Commission, with whom the Chamber delegation meets for
70 minutes.
Oct.
13:The
Chamber conducts a news conference, to announce “Operation Touchdown!,”
which features “Postcards to the President.”Some
20,000 four-color postcards go into distribution.Pre-addressed
to President Clinton, the postcards show an aerial view of Southbridge,
with the AO site at the center.
Nov.
10:Members
of Congress from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut join the Chamber-led
Postcards to the President project, as they sign their own messages urging
President Clinton to award Southbridge a DFAS facility.
Dec.
7 & 8:
In a trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Chamber and organized by
Neal, about 50 Tri-Community officials in fiber optics, tourism, banking
and the defense jobs effort meet with Clinton Administration and congressional
leaders.The sessions are broadcast
live on C-SPAN.A member of the delegation,
Michael Hogan, executive direction of the Massachusetts Office of Economic
Development, in remarks offered during the meetings, pledges the Commonwealth’s
ongoing substantial monetary support for the Southbridge-based Center for
Advanced Fiberoptic Applications, tourism promotion and the Tri-Community-based
infrastructure needs for roads, sewers and other community concerns.
Dec.:The
Federal Site Selection Task Force begins its review.
1994:
Jan.,
Feb. & March:
The Task Force reviews continues.
April
1:The
Task Force’s analysis is forwarded to the Secretary of Defense for review.
April
4:Murphy,
vowing a thorough final effort now that the site selection process has
reached the doorstep of the decision-maker, declares, “we are leaving nothing
to chance.”He outlines a series
of steps, including White House and Defense Department meetings which he
said are designed “to press the merits of our proposal at this crucial
moment.”
April
10:Presidential
Senior Policy Advisor George Stephanopoulos, on a visit to Worcester, confers
with James McGovern, top aide to Congressman J. Joseph Moakley, D-Boston,
Murphy, Coughlin and Chandler, as Chandler presents Stephanopoulos with
petitions and letters from Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island
communities in the DFAS employment area.
April
12:Bulger,
Flaherty, Bertonazzi and state Rep. David Peters, R-Charlton, co-sponsor
legislation extending by one year from July 1, 1994, a measure assuring
a state bond issue of up to $100 million to pay for renovations at the
AO site.The legislation is expected
to pass both houses unanimously and be signed promptly by Gov. William
Weld.
May
3:U.S.
Defense Secretary William Perry names Southbridge as the home of the DOD’s
permanent center for financial management, education and training.In
addition to providing permanent jobs, the center will serve as the site
for a number of temporarily-assigned trainees.Perry
said the Southbridge center will be instrumental in the modernization and
improvement of DFA educational and performance levels.
1995:
Throughout
the year, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and the Massachusetts
State Colleges submit successful bids to provide faculty and curriculum
for the training center.Blueprints
are drawn and construction of offices for permanent staff and for classrooms
and related teaching facilities begins.Preliminary
negotiations on the lease commence between Franklin Realty, for the American
Optical Co., and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as the real estate negotiator
for the Defense Department.
Oct.
24: Kennedy,
Kerry, Neal, Peters and Chandler conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
1996:
November: The
first class of DOD students arrives.They
will live and be trained at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center
until the new hotel and secure government offices are built in Southbridge.Typically
each class lasts two weeks.
1997:
July
3: The
Deputy Secretary of Defense directs the Corps of Engineers to enter into
a lease with AO.
Aug.
29: The
Undersecretary of Defense indicates a desire to begin financial training
operations in Southbridge as soon as possible.
1998:
Jan.: Negotiations
between the Corps of Engineers and Franklin, which have been stalled, are
restarted.They continue throughout
the year.
Fall.: It’s
decided that most of the former Main Plant will be demolished, with a 204-room
hotel, conference center and secure DOD offices will be built in its place,
at a total cost of $80 million.This
replaces the original plan, which called for the remodeling of the old
building.It’s expected there will
be about 150 DOD jobs and about 300 jobs at the hotel.
1999:
Feb.: The
Southbridge Planning Board grants a special permit for the project.
April: The
Southbridge Zoning Board of Appeals grants a variance for the project.
Sept.: The
Southbridge Conservation Commission gives its approval for the project.After
the plans are revised, the Planning Board grants a change in the special
permit.
2000:
Jan.: After
a second revision, the Planning Board grants another change in the special
permit.
Feb.
7: The
Corps of Engineers publishes a legal notice that the DOD facility will
be built in a flood plain.This
begins a 15-day public comment period, and indicates that lease negotiations
are coming to a close.
Feb.
28: The
U.S. Congress is notified that the government is about to sign the lease.No
significant questions are raised.
March
8: The
U.S. General Services Administration gives its permission to Secretary
of the Army Louis Caldera to sign the lease.It’s
to run for 20 years, with the government paying about $9.6 million annually.
Main Plant Demolition Progress Page