Coos Bay armory might close after $1 million upgrade
By Associated Press
COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon National Guard armory in Coos Bay is undergoing a $1 million refurbishing — after which it could be closed or sold. In February, the Coos Bay armory project was selected among 25 projects on Guard facilities throughout the state, using money from the state and federal stimulus programs. Bids were solicited in March. The project was on a list of deferred maintenance needs for which the Oregon Military Department applied for funding several years ago. The maintenance backlog wasn't funded until the stimulus money started flowing this year. The Coos Bay work is to be finished in July. In the meantime, the state Legislature has been staring at a big shortfall in revenue, and the Ways and Means Committee suggested Guard cuts of about $4.7 million. As a result the department said last month it may need to close four armories and is looking at Coos Bay and facilities in St. Helens, Milton-Freewater, Burns, Lebanon, Newport and Redmond. The Oregon Military Department still hopes it won't come to that, said spokesman Capt. Stephen Bomar. "We'll hopefully know next week," Bomar said. "But it seems like we keep saying 'next week.' " The Coos Bay work includes replacing appliances in the kitchen, resurfacing the vehicle compound and installing energy efficient windows. Roseburg contractor R.E. Noah and Co. Inc. has 34 workers on the project, as well as 18 vendors and subcontractors. Bomar said the money spent in Coos Bay was allocated for maintenance and couldn't be transferred to other projects, such as the new $74 million, 250,000-square-foot facility going up at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas. "These are separate pots of money," he said.
(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press) |
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