Commissioner Richardson discusses the latest developments from the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Meeting.

Yesterday I met with representatives from the BRAC IT process. We were there, Joe Kumiszcza from Tech Maine, and Jim Damicis, along with industry and that was really the most important part of this whole story; that industry is at the table. People with IT experience are there, and were in Brunswick to assist both Joe Kumiszcza, Dr. Renault and Jim Damicis in coming up with an IT plan to use the $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of that midcoast region in determining how best to move forward and to carry upon a desire that Governor Baldacci had been very instrumental in starting, that is a desire to allow IT to come to midcoast Maine. This is part of a process that the Governor had started. He had looked to make sure that IT and the National Governor's Association would work in partnership to create an opportunity for IT to come back to rural America.

The National Governor's Association, Governor Baldacci, and Information Technology Association of America have teamed up along with the U.S. Department of Labor to make the best possible use of the $2 million for training and to create a very strong and vibrant IT network in the state of Maine, but in particular in the midcoast region.

The redevelopment is well on its way. I think we’ve hit every benchmark that the Mid Coast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) that was formed by statute. The Governor's made the appointments. And I think that the staff at MRRA along with local participants (that means those that are on the board itself ), along with the business community in the region are all working together and we've hit every benchmark ahead of time, and we are now well into the implementing phase. As some might remember we had Stackbox and Aura360 go on base ahead of the closure and we're looking to bring other businesses into the region and onto the base ahead of the closure to help mitigate or soften the blow of the closure that will occur starting next year.

We're looking to upgrade a number of buildings on the base to lease from the Navy in order to sub-lease to businesses to provide as many jobs as possible on base before the closure becomes final.