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May 10, 2010
Harnett Takes School Plea To National Leader
Defense appropriations chair meets with area leaders in Spring Lake
Dunn Daily Record
Harnett County has been asking for help from the federal government to deal with military-related growth for several years and got one more opportunity Monday. One of the leading defense lawmakers in the country was in the area to get a personal feel of the needs and to hear from local officials about how they want Washington, D.C., to help.
State of Washington Rep. Norm Dicks, who is the chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, was at Fort Bragg to get a first-hand look at growth related to the base realignment and closure committee, or BRAC. Escorted by local U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, he spoke to leaders throughout the region at a special meeting in Spring Lake including Harnett County Board of Commissioners Chair Tim McNeill, Dunn Mayor Oscar Harris and Harnett County Manager Scott Sauer. Rep. Dicks got a first-hand look at the staggering numbers related to military growth. He learned that Harnett County is one of the most impacted counties, with an almost immediate need for two new middle schools, a high school and an elementary school. The county is expected to gain close to 2,000 students in the next three years.
BRAC has hit Harnett especially hard since the federal government only pays Harnett County $92 per military child versus Cumberland County which receives $438, according to Commissioner McNeill. The difference is because Cumberland has a greater percentage of military children, although military children make up 60 percent of the population in some western Harnett County schools.
Throughout the area affected by BRAC growth there is expected to be $190 million in budget shortfalls for educational needs.
There are also other infrastructure needs here, and in 10 other counties surrounding Fort Bragg. The needs are expected to peak in the next three years.
Rep. Dicks said he wants to work with Rep. Etheridge to help. "We have some good people working on this," he said. "We are looking for solutions and we might need a new approach."
Rep. Dicks said of all the BRAC-related needs he sees education as one of the most important. He said he has seen similar issues through closings at bases in his home state.
"We want our soldiers to know that their children will be getting a good education while they are gone," Rep. Dicks said.
His next statement was one many in Harnett County have wanted to hear since the plans for the BRAC movement were announced.
"It seems to me the federal government should play a role and I want to work with all of you to open as many doors as we can," Rep. Dicks said.
BRAC officials told the group Harnett County schools are being affected as much as anyone in the region from the troop movements. The county opened a new elementary school this year to help deal with BRAC growth and school officials have already been forced to cap enrollment. The process of purchasing land for additional schools is already under way.
The meeting Monday was part of a two-day tour of the area for Rep. Dicks. He also met with other Fort Bragg officials and got a first-hand look at Army operations at the base.
Rep. Etheridge said he was glad his counterpart got to see the area and the growth related to the military.
"It is great to have the chairman at Fort Bragg because the Army sees this as the center of their world and he needs to see that," Rep. Etheridge said.
The growth in Harnett County is related to the closing of Army Forces command and the U.S. Army Reserves command in Fort McPherson, near Atlanta. A new headquarters building is now under construction in Fayetteville. The growth is expected to bring at least 25,000 new people to the local area.
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