I do so hate those Watermelons.
heh-hee-heh-hee-heh!
Posted on 07/09/2006 7:30:44 AM PDT by SandRat
SIERRA VISTA — Growth in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed is mainly caused by the existence of Fort Huachuca, contends one of the leaders of the center for Biological Diversity.
Phoenix physician Dr. Robin Silver claims documentation the center received through a Freedom of Information Act requests highlights increase in expenditures on Fort Huachuca. Silver says more money being spent means there are more activities going on at the fort. This, he said, equates to growth on the post and in the civilian community. Garrison Commander Col. Jonathan Hunter says this isn’t true.
Silver, the center’s board chairman, is double counting some employees, Hunter said.
And, according to a spokeswoman for one of the main area developers, figures show most people who are moving into the area have no military affiliation.
In May, Silver fired another shot across the fort’s bow stating there has been a 57 percent increase in the fort’s direct annual expenditures in Cochise County from fiscal year 2001 to fiscal year 2005, alluding the post did not want the figures out.
During the 2001 budget year the post said it had a work force of 11,939. In 2005, that work force was 13,379, a 12 percent increase, Silver said.
The fort promised to re-evaluate its work force if it increased by more than 500 jobs, Silver said. He contends post officials have not done so.
“Most of the San Pedro River-threatening deficit groundwater pumping in the Sierra Vista area results from Fort Huachuca’s activities, including that many of the people who work on the fort or support it live off the fort,” the center’s board chairman said.
The impact off the post continues with many of the existing and planned dwellings in Sierra Vista being built because of the fort’s growth, Silver said.
But at least one company’s figures disagree with that.
Maria Church, director of marketing for Castle & Cooke, said a review of most people who are buying property and building in Sierra Vista are not associated with the military, as either GIs, civil service employees or contractors.
“Twenty to 25 percent have a military affiliation. That means 75 to 80 percent do not,” she said based a review of recent company records.
Most of the people coming to the local area are doing so for other reasons than the fort, Church said.
Sierra Vista Assistant City Manager Mary Jacobs said the potential the Sierra Vista Subwatershed area will become part of the megapolitan growth area means more people without military connections will be moving to the region.
A review of building permits indicates there are ups and downs, based on mortgage rates, she said. That’s likely to continue.
People moving to Sierra Vista and the county are coming to the region for a number of reasons, Jacobs said. They come for jobs, to retire or to get away from the big city.
By 2050, urban planning experts believe the state’s population will increase from its current 5 million plus to more than 15 million. The Sierra Vista Subwatershed area could grow to more than 110,000 from the existing 55,000.
Critics of growth in the area, led by the Center for Biological Diversity, say the San Pedro River will dry up if growth is not controlled. Silver specifically says the fort’s existence is leading the way for the increase in population.
Hunter said Silver did not take into consideration inflation when he looked at the response to the center’s FOIA request. Silver assumes the more money expended by the fort equates to additional people, the colonel said.
“Some of these ‘purchases’ are actually the contract dollars that pay contract positions that Dr. Silver has already counted as direct employment, so he ends up double counting in some instances,” Hunter said.
In some cases, contracts made in Sierra Vista are not necessarily tied to long-term jobs and can include construction and items purchased from other places that are delivered here, Hunter said.
The fort’s population has been relatively stable between 12,000 and 13,000 — even with an increase in intelligence training requirements, he said.
Almost every month, “the fort continues to reduce its net water consumption,” Hunter added.
For example, the fort reported in April the total year amount of water pumped on post was 8.8 percent less than the 168 acre-feet delivered to the recharge facility in the first four months of 2005. The fort has cited installation of water-saving devices and use of effluent as reasons for the drop in water pumping.
And, the colonel said, the post will meet its mission of mitigating slightly more than 3,000 acre-feet by 2011 as its part of the water deficit, as agreed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Army also is engaged in negotiating a revision of its biological opinion with the Fish and Wildlife Service and will provide an extensive economic analysis of the actions on the installation.
The fort also is going though a reduction of some positions due to budget constraints, which may continue into next year and possibly beyond.
“That will change the numbers again, downward,” Hunter said.
HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615.
I can't imagine 110,000 people and how that would clog up AZ92 and Fry boulevard.
It sounds like Dr. Robin Silver is an envirowhacko.
as I recall from working at ft. huachuca, this silver guy is desperately trying to get the base closed because he wants to buy the land and turn it into some sort of retirement community..I may be wrong, but I think it's him...
Right out of Tom Clancey's book "Rainbow-SIX."
Interesting as have shootin buddy moving there from Upper P., Michigan.
Tell your shootin buddy to come on down. Good folks are always welcome.
Tell him about ijinx being one of the NRA area leaders then get hold of Hijinx so he can transfer his membership.
My Dad thinks Silver and Company want Hoochie-Coochie closed and SV returned to what it was in the '40s so that they the "Enlightened Ones" can create a Special Closed Retirement Community where the "Enlightened Ones" can have the post-mark of Historic Fort Huachuca.
If that's this person's eeeeeevil plan then wouldn't it be more simple to just take over Castle & Cooke?
If that guy took over the fort maybe he could kick out the safety nazis employed there....
I met a yooper working in Home Depot here in SV.
I think I might be a closet yooper.
Isn't that what Vista Village is?
I know Bisbee thinks they are the TRUE "Enlightened Ones" as they have a "Socialist Party" Office and it may even be the HQ's Office for the State.
Don't know about Vista Village
(Does the fort still have it's nifty museum?)
Yep. Went through the CIC museum last year. Sure didn't have anything like that when I was at Holabird back in the early 60's.
Sandrat, keep the fort held down for me. Next time, we will have to have a class III shoot out there and I'll bring some of my water cooled toys.
What is a yooper,you ask??
http://www.dayoopers.com/whatwher.html
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