Agenda Item # 2
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
03/07/2006
Agenda Report # 104
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Planning Grant under the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)
INITIATED BY: Job Training Division (WIA)
Recommendation: Approval is requested to accept a BRAC Planning Grant in the
amount of $250,000, awarded under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and
authorize the City Manager to serve as signatory official for funding allocated
and awarded by contractual agreement with the State of Georgia for
implementation of support for identifying workforce needs in the local labor
market that has been impacted as a result of a base realignment and closure.
Background: The 2005 Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) will affect
the Lower Chattahoochee area in a significant manner, touching the lives of
military workers and civilian population, as well as the surrounding businesses
and workers. The Army?s plan to create a Maneuver Center by consolidating the
Armor Center and School with the Infantry Center and School at Fort Benning is
expected to have the following job gains (9,221 military and 6,158 civilian for
a total of 15,379). One source identified the potential impact of BRAC, on the
local MSA, through anticipated growth as being 29,880, which includes military
personnel, government civilians, contractors, defense contractors and their
respective families. These figures do not include the increased annual
training load of 29,000 new students/trainees and an estimated 4,000 indirect
jobs; in addition to, the construction of a new hospital, barracks, ranges, and
the replacement and/or restoration of all government quarters.
An application, to the U.S. Department of Education, submitted by the Muscogee
County School District, on behalf of the eight public school systems in the
Chattahoochee Valley Area, indicates that the consolidation of the Armor and
Infantry Schools and Centers will spark unprecedented population growth of
approximately 8,581 school-aged children, which will have a significant impact
on the local workforce.
Analysis: This unprecedented growth will place significant demands on the
availability of healthcare and educational personnel, construction workers, and
other occupational areas as growth occurs as a result of BRAC. This planning
grant will assist the Lower Chattahoochee Workforce Area in developing the
working agreements, processes and systems that will be necessary for a
comprehensive community response to efficiently and successfully address the
needs of those affected by BRAC.
A comprehensive plan will be developed to assist the local area in addressing
the needs of the community and the significant influx of military personnel,
military dependents, and civilian workers arriving at Fort Benning and the
surrounding community as a result of BRAC 2005.
Financial Considerations: This grant does not require any matching funds. WIA
funds will be amended by the amount of the grant in the Mid Year Adjustment,
which will be coming forward to Council in the upcoming weeks.
Legal Considerations: The City of Columbus must accept responsibility for
proper management of funding received for BRAC under the Workforce Investment
Act. A separate worker's compensation policy is maintained for program
clients. All funds for administering programs and activities under the
Workforce Investment Act will be allocated through grant awards with the State
of Georgia and the local workforce investment area.
Recommendation: Approve a resolution accepting BRAC funds, in the amount of
$250,000, allocated to the Grant Recipient and Administrator under Workforce
Investment Act (WIA), and authorize the City Manager to serve as signatory
official for receipt of funding allocated and awarded by contractual agreement
with the State of Georgia for implementation of Workforce Investment programs
in the Lower Chattahoochee Workforce Investment Area (WIA-14).
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