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Home My WebLink AboutR-2004-05 recognize/support regional importance of Texas Air National Guard 147th Fighter Wing e . RESOLUTION NO. 2004- 0 rs- A RESOLUTION OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZING THE REGIONAL IMPORTANCE OF THE TEXAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD 147TH FIGHTER WING AND URGING STATE AND FEDERAL OF,FICALS TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO RETAIN THE 147TH AT ELLINGTON FIELD; FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. WHEREAS, the 14Th Fighter Wing is an invaluable homeland security asset to the region, and its realignment would have adverse economic consequences to the region, and make this region more wlnerable to external threats; and WHEREAS, the US. Department of Defense's Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) will develop recommendations for closure and realignment of military installations by early 2005; and WHEREAS, realignment of the Texas Air National Guard's 14Th Fighter Wing, located at Ellington Field; may be considered during the BRAC process; and WHEREAS, the US. Army National Guard's 149th Aviation Battalion and the US. Coast Guard Air Station Houston are also located at Ellington with the 147th Fighter Wing, enhancing regional security, and joint location of these units and NASA at Ellington Field increases operational efficiency; and WHEREAS, the Houston-Galveston region is home to over 5 million people and the region's refining, petrochemical industries, ports, Johnson Space Center and medical center are important national assets and potential terrorist targets; and WHEREAS, local officials and the Ellington Field Task Force are working to assure that retaining the 147th will meet BRAC criteria for military value and economic efficiency. e e NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS, THAT: Section 1. The City of La Porte recognizes that retaining the Texas Air National Guard 147th Fighter Wing is important to the region, and state and federal officials are strongly urged to support efforts to retain the 147th at Ellington Field and be it further, Section 2. Resolved that the Governor and Adjutant General of Texas be urged to make all appropriate efforts to retain the 14th Fighter Wing as a vital regional homeland security resource at Ellington Field. Section 4. The City Council officially finds, determines, recites and declares that a sufficient written notice of the date, hour, place and subject of this meeting of the City Council is posted at a place convenient to the public at the City Hall of the City for the time required by law preceding this meeting, as required by the Chapter 551, Tx. Gov't Code~ and that this meeting has been open to the public as required by law at all times during which this resolution and the subject matter thereof has been discussed, considered and formally acted upon. The City Council further ratifies, approves and confirms such written notice and the contents and posting thereof. Section 5. This Resolution shall be effective upon its passage and approval. Passed by the City Council this 9th day of February, 2004. CITY~~~ Norman L. Malone Mayor ~T (Jjil7fJ~t(.c1~/1 Martha A. Gillett City Secretary j ~a/~ Knox W. Askins City Attorney Item 8a Page 2 of2 A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS .e e RECOGNIZING THE REGIONAL IMPORTANCE OF THE TEXAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD 147TH FIGHTER WING AND URGING STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO RETAIN THE 147m AT ELLINGTON FIELD. WHEREAS, the 1471h Fighter Wing is an invaluable homeland security asset to the region, and its realignment would have adverse economic consequences to the region, and make this region more vulnerable to external threats; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Defense's Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) will develop recommendations for closure and realignment of military installations by early 2005;and WHEREAS, realignment of the Texas Air National Guard's 1471h Fighter Wing, located at Ellington Field; may be considered during the BRAC process; and . WHEREAS, the U. S. Anny National Guard's 1491h Aviation Battalion and the U. S. Coast Guard Air Station Houston are also located at Ellington with the 14th Fighter Wing, enhancing regional security, andjoint location of these units and NASA at Ellington Field increases operational efficiency; and WHEREAS, the Houston-Galveston region is home to over 5 million people and the region's refining, petrochemical industries, ports, Johnson Space Center and medical center are important national assets and potential terrorist targets; and WHEREAS, local officials and the Ellington Field Task Force are working to assure that retaining the 14th will meet BRAC criteria for military value and economic efficiency. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of the Houston-Galveston Area Council that retaining the Texas Air National Guard 1471h Fighter Wing is important to the region, and state and federal officials are strongly urged to support efforts to retain the 1471h at Ellington Field. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Governor and Adjutant General of Texas be urged to make all appropriate efforts to retain the 141h Fighter Wing as a vital regional homeland security resource at Ellington Field. UNANIMOUSLY PASSED AND APPROVED, this 20lh day of January 2004 by the BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL .t ~t po_Ellington Fiel res.doc January 12, 2004 ~ ... .-:::.= (;...> . J -:BAY AREA (~\;9~~~~ e e Ellington Field Task Force EFTF Briefing and Tour with Chairman Bill Ehrie, Texas Military Preparedness Commission, January 20. 2004 at Ellington Field Attendance I Participation for Interchange with Ellington Field Task Force and Chairman Bill Ehrie Texas Military Preparedness Commisstion Bill Ehrie TMPC Commission Chairman BAH Ellington Field Task Force Management & Committee Chairs Jim Reinhartsen President Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Marie McDermott Chairman, EFTF Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership John Martinec Director, EFTF Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Eugene Tulich EFTF Chairman, Houston Military Affairs Michael Hirsch EFTF Chair, Homeland Security Col Jimmy Mitchell (Ret) EFTF Chair, Military Value Marie Flickinger EFTF Chair, Community-Military Tina Laningham EFTF BAHEP & Chair, External Communications U.S. Senate Kay Bailey Hutchison John Cornyn US Senator - Texas US Senator - Texas U.S. House of Representatives Tom Delay House Majority leader House District #129 House District #25 House District #7 House District #9 House District #8 Chris Bell John Culberson Nick Lampson Kevin Brady Texas Senate Mike Jackson Senate District #11 Texas House of Representatives Rick Noriega House District #145 John Davis Robert Talton Larry Taylor Harris County Sylvia R. Garcia Galveston County Ken Clark City of Houston Bill White Shelley Sekula-Gibbs Addie Wiseman List is continued on next page. House District #129 House District #144 House District #24 Commissioner Pct 2 Commissioner Pct 4 Mayor City Council At large City Council District E Committee on Armed Services Represented by Jason Fuller Committee on Veterans Affairs Committee on Appropriations Represented by Jay Guerrero Represented by Kirsten Boyd Represented by Sallie Alcorn Represented by Bill Crow Represented by Peter Tyler Represented by Heather Montgomery Chair of the Committee on Environmental Regulation House Defense Affairs and State- Federal Relations Committee Represented by Shar Bingham Represented by Cindi Harrison Represented by Teri Goodman Represented by Gail Miller Representative And Represented by Lisa Dimond Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership 2525 Bay Area Boulevard, Suite 640 . Houston, Texas 77058 Phone: 281.486.5535. Fax: 281.486.5068 . www.bayareahouston.com Page 2 e e Ellington Field Task Force "" ..,;..-=~.' l (\ !lAY AREA ~:;~\t'9~~ EFTF Briefing and Tour with Chairman Bill Ehrie, Texas Military Preparedness Commission, January 20, 2004 at Ellington Field Houston Airport System Richard Vacar Director Mary Case Airport Manager Regional Officials and Stakeholders Steve Phelps Commissioner Kent Fuller VP, Marketing Bill King President, Southwest Services NASA EF Ops Continental Airlines UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Mayor, City of Pasadena Robert Naughton Ellen Lapointe Claire Turney John Manlove Ellington Field Port of Houston Greater Houston Partnership Represented by Jay Sandridge NASA Johnson Space Center Ellington Field Unit Briefings and Tours NASA Johnson Space Center, Ellington Field Operations Robert Naughton, Ellington Field Operations Manager U.S. Coast Guard - Air Station Houston Commander Richard Kenin 147th Figher Wing I Texas Air National Guard Col. Lanny McNeely, Commander Directions to Southwest Airport Services on site at the Ellington Field Building 500 11811 N. Brantly Houston, TX 77034 USA (281) 484-6551. Directions - Enter the Ellington Field main entrance from Highway 3, follow the signs to "North Brantly Terminal"; the signs will change directing you to "Southwest Services". Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership 2525 Bay Area Boulevard, Suite 640 . Houston, Texas 77058 Phone: 281.486.5535. Fax: 281.486.5068. www.bayareahouston.com Page 3 ~ " :;: ;:--=- ;,-:- "';j;. ..... ,;J\'BAY AREA \~HOUST"JN ~ msco\~r 'i:l\rrSpa~(' f.-\plQlt' "'lJr(Jpporl~mitb ELLINGTON FIELD TASK FORCE EFTF Briefing and Interchange with Chairman Bill Ehrie Texas Military Preparedness Commission Purpose: Briefing and Information Exchange with TMPC State Commission Chairman on EFTF Overview, Support and Plans, TMPC Plans and a Base Tour of Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base Military and NASA Facilities. Agenda Wednesday, 21January 2004,1000 hrs to 1500 hrs _ ".,. ._~_. ___..____~~_. ...._N._.___.__.~.._.___.._..__..___.__..~_ ,~,..______.....__._._~ _.. __ ~.._. Time Interchange between Ellington Field Task Force and Chairman Ehrie Held at Soutwest Services, Ellington Field Building 500 10:00 Welcome & Coffee Receptiong 10:10 Opening Remarks Reinhartsen I Martinec & Chairman Ehrie 10:20 Overview: BAH EFTF Plan Martinec Overview: Texas Military Preparedness Chairman Ehrie Commission 10:45 EFTF Houston Area Support EFTF Stakeholders I Officials from Federal, State, County, City, and Regional 11: 15 Q&A and Open Discussion All 11 :45 Adjourn 11:45 12:15 12:20 12:50 13:00 13:00 13:40 13:45 14:10 15:00 Lunch Ehrie & BAH EFTF Chairmen transit to NASA Facility NASA BrieflTour Ehrie & BAH EFTF Chairmen Rober Naughton, Facility Director transit to Military Units Ellington Field JRB Military Units US Coast Guard Air Station Houston Ehrie & BAH EFTF Chairmen Bief & Tour Cmd Richard Kenin transit to 147th FW facility 147th Figher Wing Brief & Q&A Ehrie & BAH EFTF Chairmen Col Lanny McNeely, Commander 147th FW Command Base Base Tour Col Lanny McNeely, Commander Depart .... ..--. - ....-.. .--, ~... - .. '--'---,..,- ~-'- ...- -',:- ..-....--.... .- ----,~~ _..~_.-- .....-~.._._.. ~- -.----- .-... . - -.... - - " .-. Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership 2525 Bay Area Boulevard, Suite 640 . Houston, Texas 77058 Phone: 281.486.5535 . Fax: 281.486.5068 . www.bayareahouston.com Page 1 . . REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM Agenda Date Requested: Februarv 9. 2004 ADDrODriation Requested By: Debrll Fellzelle Source of Funds: Department: City MlIAIger Account Number: Report: Resolution: X Ordinance: Amount Budgeted: Exhibits: Resolution Amount Requested: Exhibits: SUDPort Materials Budgeted Item: NO Exhibits SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION The Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process is now underway and is scheduled to deliver recommendations in early 2005. Base closure and realignment criteria are scheduled for adoption by the Department of Defense in March 2004 The Texas Air National Guard's 147th Fighter Wing may be a target during the BRAC process, particularly by other communities wishing to enhance their military installation's future by relocation of the 147th. The loss of the 147th would have an adverse effect on the region as a homeland security resource. There would also be economic effects and adverse effects on other federal tenants at Ellington Field. As a result, an Ellington Field Task Force has been working to communicate the importance of retaining the 147th at Ellington. The task force is also developing plans that should make the Ellington location of 147th compare favorably under BRAC criteria. Councilman Chuck Engelken brought an HGAC support resolution for us to consider. Action Required bv Council: Consider approval of a resolution recognizing the importance of the Texas Air National Guard's 147th Fighter Wing to the Texas Gulf Coast region and urging that it remain at Ellington Field. 1c2~ -of Date