NEWS

Economic Development

By Lou Phelps, SBJ Staff

Aug. 23, 2010 - The summer’s been busy for the Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce and the Lowcountry Economic Network & Alliance as the two groups have worked closely with local military leaders in support of the “Operation F35-Beaufort,” a public relations campaign to insure that Navy jet squadrons remain at Beaufort Air Station.

The Navy’s F18 jet squadrons at Beaufort Air Station are getting older, and the Department of Defense is engaged in making decisions on the placement of 11 squadrons of the military’s next generation of striker jets, the F35’s.

The F35 is termed a joint striker jet, and is considered the world’s most technologically advanced fighter jet. With Boeing in Charleston and Gulfstream in Savannah, Beaufort County is considered ideally suited to expand the military’s existing presence at the Beaufort Naval Air Station, including the utilization of 150 acres in the Beaufort Commerce Park.

The military is already contributing $1.2 billion annually in economic impact to Beaufort County, according to a recent study by economist Don Schunk of Coastal Carolina University, including Beaufort Naval Air Station, and the Marines at Parris Island.

The Beaufort Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee is leading the effort, funded in part with money left over from previous years during the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision periods by the Department of Defense.  Also working closely with the Chamber has been the Lowcountry Economic Network & Alliance.

The Network has contributed the branding logo, the posters, the website and the social media campaign that is currently ongoing, according to Ian Leslie, spokesperson for the Network, to insure that the public supports bringing the F35’s to Beaufort County.  

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is competing with a similar base at Cherry Point, North Carolina for all or a portion of 11 squadrons of the new jets, along with the training units. There are five different alternatives that the military is studying that could bring three squadrons, eight squadrons, eleven squadrons, training units only, or no decision about the F35’s in Beaufort County.

An initial Environmental Impact Study (EIS) was released in June by the Navy for a public comment period. The public hearings phase has been closed, but a 45 comment period is still open. A final EIS will then be released to the public. 

The process began in January 2010 with a series of “public scoping meetings. Of those, every comment, and I mean every comment, whether online or in public, was addressed in the Enviromental Impact Study,” according to Denny McMellen, public affairs officer at MCAS Beaufort.

“We’re in the phase where they take all the comments from the public on the EIS report and then issue the final which will be presented by the Secretary of the Navy. We’re hoping that by the end of December we will find out what the Navy’s plans for these aircraft,” McMellen explained. 

“It’s a brand new plane that will phase out the F18’s that the Marines current fly.  The F35 will be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marines, as well as,  allied countries," he added.

MCAS Beaufort has seven squadrons currently, with a total of 4,000 active duty military personnel and 670 civilian jobs in the County, not including contractors – a permanent workforce of 4, 670.  The lose of a jet base would be devastating. 

And so the Operation F35 Beaufort was launched by the county’s economic leadership.

A squadron has approximately 12 jets plus all the personnel involved in flying, maintenance and support of the military personnel.  In one alternative, MCAS might get two training squadrons which would keep the base busy because of the amount of training involved with the F35’s, according to McMellen.

“There are various options. If “Alternative 1” is chosen, we would basically be a one for one swap.  There would be fewer military personnel, but more civilian technical jobs,” he explained. “There would be an increased work load. We would be flying more missions because of the training, including the ocean area training area, and the Townsend, Georgia bombing range (in the McIntosh/Long counties area.)

One of the alternatives under review has all 11 F35 squadrons coming to Beaufort, which would have a significant increased economic impact. “We’re fortunate to have the ocean training zone we have,” explained McMellen, because of where Beaufort County sits.  The military can train and fly in a zone from Wilmington, NC down to the tip of Georgia for over-ocean training that does not interfere with commercial air traffic. “It’s a perfect training area,” he added. 

There is also a “No Action” alternative” the Navy might adopt, making no decision at this time.  But eventually, decisions will have to be made.  Like most equipment, the F18’s have a useful life, and must be phased out by 2022 based on hours on the airframes.

Currently, the Air Force, Navy and Marines are using both Harriers and F18’s, but both will be phased out, replaced by F35’s. The Harrier squadrons are based at Cherry Point, NC.

The complete EIS report and an executive summary is available online at www.usmcjsfeast.com.

The Department of Defense announced that the Navy’s preliminary recommendation is that Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort receive three new squadrons and two training squadrons for the F35-B Lighting II jet, according to the Lowcountry Network. 

The Lowcountry Economic Network & Alliance believes that the expansion will also help them recruit new industry to the region, and assist existing technology businesses, according to Kim Statler, executive director of the Lowcountry Economic Network.

If Beaufort gets the F35’s, the military needs more land-based training space and is looking for an expanding bombing location in the McIntosh and Long county areas. (See related story.)

Non-Profit Organizations

SBJ Staff Report

One of Savannah’s largest and oldest non-profit organizations, The Junior League of Savannah, has announced plans for its 63rd Annual Junior League Thrift Sale to be held Oct. 1-2 at the Savannah Civic Center.

Thrift sale merchandise is donated by League members and supporters, and varies each year.  Shoppers can find appliances, electronics, children’s clothing and toys, home and holiday decor, books, accessories, house wares, linens, furniture and more.  Again this year the Sale will offer new-in-the-box merchandise and high quality items such as crystal, china, jewelry, and designer goods in the “JL Boutique.”

With the two day event, the League raises over a $100,000, dollars which are returned to the community through various League projects as well as training its members for leadership. The Junior League of Savannah and the Thrift Sale are sponsored by SunTrust.

Items sold on Saturday are half-price, and all sales are cash only. Parking is free.

Tickets are now on sale for the Friday and Saturday event, and may be purchased at the Savannah Civic Center's box office or online at www.jrleaguesavannah.org. Children under 2 are admitted free.  No strollers or carts are permitted. 

The Junior League's current focus area is Women and Children's Advocacy.  The organization believes that women and children deserve to be empowered through quality opportunities in order to thrive and to be contributing members of our community.

The Junior League is currently partnering with a number of local organizations including the West Broad YMCA, Interfaith Hospitality Network and Memorial Health Children’s Unit in this advocacy.

In addition, members in the Junior League chapters in the Golden Isles area and South Carolina Low Country areas, are working on various education-related projects.

The Junior League of Savannah has over 1,000 women members. For information on the sale. call Junior League of Savannah Headquarters at 912-790-1002 or visit www.jrleaguesavannah.org.

Economic Development

Navy/Marine Corps to Study Potential Timber Land Acquisition in McIntosh County

By Lou Phelps, SBJ Staff

The Department of the Navy begins it process this week of looking at a possible acquisition of 40,000 additional acres in the Coastal Georgia area to expand its Townsend Bombing Range for use with guided missile testing.

The acquisition will be necessary if Marine Corp Air Station Beaufort is chosen as the site for housing and training jet squadrons for the new F35 striker jet to be used by most branches of the military. (See related story.)

The Navy is looking at timber land, some hunt club land and other agricultural land in the Townsend area in McIntosh County.

The Navy will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will analyze five alternatives for possible land acquisition that would modernize the Townsend Bombing Range, or decide on a “no-action”alternative.

“It is imperative that Marines receive the most realistic training before deploying to combat.  The modernization of our range in Townsend would allow Marines to train as they fight, with precision-guided munitions,” said Col. John R. Snider, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. “We are committed to working with the local community as partners and look forward to receiving public comments on our proposed alternatives and the issues to be studied.”

The Marine Corps’ Coastal Georgia range at Townsend is operated by the Georgia Air National Guard. The Navy has published its Notice of Intent to prepare the environmental study, including a description of the alternatives to be studied and has announcing a schedule of public scoping meetings.

The first step in undertaking an environmental assessment will be the public scoping meetings and public comment period. The public scoping meetings are scheduled as follows:

- Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., City of Ludowici Meeting Room, City Hall, 469 North Macon Street, Ludowici, GA 31316

- Thursday, August 26, 2010, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Haynes Auditorium – Ida Hilton Public Library, 1105 Northway, Darien, GA 31305

The 30-day public scoping comment period will end on September 7. All public comments will be reviewed in determining the alternatives and issues to be studied and released in the final report.

Additional information is available from Gunnery Sgt. Chad McMeen, MCAS Beaufort Public Affairs Officer, at (843) 228-7201 or cell (843) 321-6659 with any additional questions.

Local Breaking News

The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police announce today that they have charged Stacey Michelle Williams, 27, of Savannah with running a financial scam with 27 victims, so far. Police allege that she took advantage of residents who could least afford it.

Williams, a resident of the 400 block of Carolan Street, has been charged with Financial Identity Fraud and Theft By Deception after a scheme to convince victims she had paid their utility bills.

“These are residents who could least afford to lose $100 to $150 to $200,” said Detective R.J. Woodberry, overseeing the investigation, adding that the department is continuing to receive calls from victims who are discovering they paid for a service they never received. He gave this account of the scam to the department’s public relations office:

“Ms. Williams sought out victims who owed utility bills in parking lots of supermarkets and discount stores. She then offered to pay off their bills, for a fee, using a grant that she said the Equal Opportunity Administration had received to help the disadvantaged. She used a fraudulent EOA identification badge to help gain their confidence and asked for payment only after she provided confirmation that the bill had been paid.

After convincing her victims to provide their Georgia Power Co. account numbers, Ms. Williams would contact the power company, and in some cases telephone companies, by phone, identifying herself as the victim, and asking to pay off her bill electronically. She used a non-existing or fraudulent bank account to pay the bills, obtained a confirmation number indicating that the bill had been paid and provided that number to the victim.

In most cases she encouraged the victim to call the utility to confirm that the bill indeed had been paid, and then she collected her fee, ranging from $100 to $150 and in one case as much as $200 from the victim.

Victims realized they had been scammed several days later when they received notification from the utility indicating that the payment they had used to settle their accounts had been rejected by the bank, adding another $35 fee to their debt.”

Woodberry said Ms. Williams has a history of financial crimes from the past. Anyone believing they may have been a victim in the scam should contact Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Financial Crimes Division at (912) 657-6735.