Base Realignment: (Updated September 3, 2004)

I have always been a strong supporter of the military personnel and installations here in the Monterey area. The installations are very good neighbors and those members who live and are active in our community are very good citizens. My family lives in Old Town near the Presidio, and I frequently hear the bugle recall at retreat, and the mournful sounds of "Taps" late in the evening. It is part of the charm of my neighborhood, for me a nostalgic moment from my earlier life.

I would support the retention of our military installations even if they weren’t vital to our economy. They are part of the historic fabric of Monterey, especially the Presidio that has always been situated on the hill overlooking Monterey Bay. I treasure the horseshoes that I found in my front yard many years ago, a relic from the Cavalry promenade that used to pass in front of my house a hundred years ago.

But the social and economic importance of our military cannot be underestimated. DLI and the Naval Post Graduate School are also centerpieces of the education and language training center that has become a significant identity of our City. We must do everything reasonably possible to avoid any more base closure in our area, and the advance work organized by Fred Meurer must be fully supported by the Council. I believe that my military background and experience will enable me to make a significant contribution to that effort and, if I am elected, I will give this a highest priority over the next two years.

I do not see any of the forgoing as being inconsistent with pressing forward to negotiate with the Army to allow a civilian traffic crossing or exit between New Monterey and the rest of Monterey. If any improvement is to be made in the Lighthouse/Cannery Row traffic movement around Lighthouse Curve, and at both ends of the Tunnel, we must obtain such an exit. Instead of requiring New Monterey residents to filter down the hill to merge into and further clog the Curve, sound traffic management calls for them to enter the Presidio at e.g. Pine Street, and move through to the east without going around Lighthouse Curve.

This is eminently doable, but requires initiative from the City. It has been three years since 9/11, and the war by terrorists is going to go on for a long time. We must maintain unflagging vigilance, but we must also adjust to this changed world. It is past time to recognize that the Presidio bisects the City, and that we must and can bridge that barrier in ways that are consistent with Presidio security. We will have to pay the cost, but obtaining such an exit will have no impact on the BRAC whatsoever so long as the Army's security concerns are met.

I was fortunate to have a chance meeting with the garrison commander at the Presidio earlier this week to discuss this issue. We were able to discuss his paramount security concerns, and he agreed that as long as they could be met, a pass through exit was possible.

At least four possibilities present themselves, all providing for a New Monterey entrance from Pine Street. In ascending order of probable cost, they are as follows:

   (1) Down Pvt Bolio, around the Scout House and the City's Presidio Museum, and out the Artillery Gate onto Pacific. The lower part of this route is open now to the public, and the cost would primarily be the installation of security fencing (like at the NPS along Del Monte) at the upper part of Pvt Bolio.

    (2) Straight across to the High Street Gate. This would require fencing above High Street and at the perimeter of the parade ground and the ball fields. Most of the military assets, and all of the living areas, in the Presidio are above High Street, so this most direct route could be done without serious exposure. There are classrooms (which I would regard as military assets, at least during the day) below High Street at the east side of the parade field, but considering that the DLI may use unsecured Larkin School for classroom space in the immediate future, this would not appear to be an insurmountable problem.

    (3) Down around (below) the ball fields and out Artillery Gate. This would avoid the High Street DLI classroom buildings, but open up the Sloat Monument area, which should be open to the public in any event.

    (4) Same as (3) above, except exit farther up the hill across the canyon into Old Town in the Monroe Street area. This would be the most expensive option, but may improve the merging into Pacific Street at Artillery Gate. It also would not be popular with affected residents in Old Town.

Except for (1) above, all such improvements would allow unfettered civilian access to the ball fields, which the City spent $400,000 to refurbish 6 years ago. And that access would avoid a security check backup from Pvt Bolio onto Lighthouse at the Reeside intersection, which seems a significant problem brewing under the recently announced deal to open the soccer fields.

Any exit arrangement would be subject to immediate and temporary suspension during any increase in Threat Level above the current Level 2. But that has happened relatively infrequently during the last two years, and that would be a temporary inconvenience, compared to the permanent inconvenience that has existed for three years.

None of this is any threat to the BRAC process, or could be construed to be antagonistic to the Army. We must not be timid in negotiating a solution. If elected, I would do my best to persuade the Council that this negotiation should go forward immediately.