Johnson City Press from Johnson City, Tennessee • 6

From Page One Page 6 A Johnson City PreSs Monday September 25 2006 Holston Board 4 from Faje 1A anytime almost -iesidaitwculd total $20311651 Jail architect Ken Ross said contracting bids had not yet been issued for the project Bids are expected to go out in October Estimates for renovations 'at the detention center total $7283477 the new justice center is estimated at $10847812 site development at $1491000 archi- tecturalengineering fees at i $419372 and furnishings and equipment are expected to run to $500000 Questions remain about where Civil Chancery and Circuit courts can be held Currently some court cases are heard at the I Downtown Centre in Johnson City With the proposed justice i center most court officials are anticipating that all courts will be moved to Jonesborough 4 Continued from Page 1A grade schools to additional excavation and site work Budget Committee members also approved retaining the property tax rate at last rate of $187 per $100 of taxable property for the 2006-07 fiscal year The issue will go before the commission tonight Marked as an information-only item the jail buildingjustice center project also will be addressed by the commission Jail Committee Chairman Scott Buckingham presented a report indicating that estimated costs for the construction and site development of an addition to the Washington County Detention Center in Jonesborough and construction of a justice center Schools for coming around and mnnwmg the security posture of all their he said not happy with it they change Defending performance Army spokesman Steve Abney said the Holston plant is all of the Army and DOD security Wackenhut is one of the largest contractors in charge of security at government facilities Wyden and Dorgan previously sought an investigation into alleged security lapses by the company at the Homeland Security headquarters in Washington The company is no longer the contractor there In addition the Energy inspector general said a mock attack at a department facility in Oak Ridge in January 2003 was when two Wackenhut guard supervisors saw plans in advance The guards at the Holston plant say they routinely report problems such as holes in a perimeter fence but that their concerns often are ignored have to write incident guard Brian Darnell said just got to be where nobody wants to write them anymore because nobody does anything about climb on tbe rmer banks Marburger said guards believe terrorists could gain access to the plant this way and an excuse if caught they would have to do is pull out a rod and reel and say sorry I mean to be Marburger said In one instance two teenage runaways were found wandering around the property The two girls said got there from the river any point in time they were probably within 100 yards of thousands of pounds of Marburger said The guards complain that hunters are allowed onto the grounds and generally are unsupervised not extremely careful with where aiming there could be a -chance if you misfired your weapon that projectile could end up in an explosive area which is not a good Marburger said Wyden said the inspector general should investigate quickly a dangerous world out he said 911 you have security lapses like The operating contractor is BAE Systems The Army oversees operations with about IS to 20 full-time workers The guards also allege the company cut back on patrols about a year ago in response to higher gas prices and say Wackenhut puts extra equipment and people on duty to ensure good marks when federal inspectors are around put on a facade for the right said Gerhard Marburger Jr who has worked at the plant for about four years Marburger said hydraulic barriers generally are brought out only for inspections In one instance a plant mailman was asked to patrol the perimeter as if he was a security guard to help boost marks during an inspection he said Long the Wackenhut executive said there are two kinds of inspections planned ones and surprise visits He said Wackenhut does step up security during planned inspections in which the Army might say it wants to see the site as it would appear under a threat expect you to ignore the fact that Long said The guards also say boaters are supposed to stay out of the part of the Holston River adjacent to the plant But they say Wackenhut does not regularly patrol this area or take it seriously when boaters enter the restricted space or almost The company hired to provide security Wackenhut Services Inc said it is not aware of security lapses and contends the charges may be tied to wage and labor disputes at the plant One disagreement involves a complaint by the guards that they are not paid as much as some other contractors at similar federal facilities are no serious security problems at Holston not that aware said James Long III chief executive The guards brought their allegations to Sens Ron Wyden D-Ore and Byron Dorgan D-ND who plan to ask the inspector general this week for a formal inquiry ought to be a full-scale Dorgan said on what employees have said very Added Wyden: when you see people like this coming forward which always exposes them to some risk you ought to pay attention to what Long said the Army would not tolerate lax security Army has a very comprehensive system means to deliver weather warnings the system now covers all hazards for example terrorism abducted children and derailed trains carrying toxic materials 4 Continued from Page 1A school NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher said Originally conceived as a ChooseYouEPharmacy Carefully At Boones you to choose as you would Choose a name and in an accurate Choose a time to consult needed Choose a you are medicines Base commander: Salary concerns may be root Creek Pharmacy we encourage your pharmacy as carefully choose your physician pharmacy whose employees know your make every effort to fill your prescriptions fast and courteous manner pharmacy whose pharmacists will take your Dr about the medicine when pharmacy whose priority is to make sure receiving the most effective highest quality at the lowest prices of allegations Service Sunday his company is confident in security although he said he is not at liberty to discuss security strength within the plant have had a clear indication that there is no foundation to the claims and really all got to say about Hewitt said far as BAE is concerned it is 010 understanding and our knowledge that those claims have been investigated and found to be without Choose Boones Creek Phone 283-0911 Hours: Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-3 BOONES CREEK pharmacyMBzl 4729 Roan Street At Boones Creek Pat Rowan Pharmacist Ammunition Plant and can say with confidence that as long as the security officers are doing their job in accordance with standard operating' procedure security is very McClendon said Among the security breach allegations reported were boaters and fishermen entering the facility on the Holston River McClendon who has been HAAP base commander for nine months said he could neither confirm nor deny that has occurred prior to his arrival He did say however that the river is moni- tored constantly and the odds of a successful terrorist attack coming from the river is nil Another allegation involved two teenage runaways being found on the facility That did happen two or three years ago McClendon said but contrary to the allegation they were discovered before they got near any dangerous manufacturing areas As for alleged unsupervised hunts on the facility McClendon said that is not true There is a lottery held during hunting season and some hunters are allowed in under supervision to prevent wildlife overpopulation McClendon also denied allegations that there are holes in the security fence used by poachers to enter the facility He said his staff regularly walks the fence lines and all potential security deficiencies are addressed immediately During his nine months in command McClendon has not received a report of an illegal hunter entering the facility Poachers will not be tolerated he said are a problem on any government-owned McClendon said are normally there to hunt wild game and they are not normally a risk the current exit numbers along I-26 for 'approximately 18 to 24 months before fully making the transition to new numbers have the new exit number and right above it it will say the old exit Brickey said to two years leave them both up so that people will You're ready to buy a house You've come to By Jeff Bobo NET News Service KINGSPORT Allegations of security breaches at the Holston Army Ammunition Plant may have more to do with leverage in guard salary negotiations than actual security issues HAAP base commander Lt Col Garry McClendon said Sunday Shortly after a routine inspection of the facility by Joint Munitions Command last month which gave the plant high marks for security several contracted security officers presented allegations of security breaches and lax security to two US senators and the Associated Press McClendon said Sunday the current security posture for HAAP is Protection Condition which means there is no specific threat identified against HAAP at this time He added however that there is a significant security presence in the plant at all times and that the public can trust that the plant is safe and well protected have not had a security breach that would threaten facility operations or affect support to the war McClendon said have numerous inspections and we were just inspected by the JMC in August and they found no deficiencies in our security We welcome oversight because we want to maintain a good security Although the negative allegations originated among contracted security staff McClendon said he is confident in their competency and that they each know their job has a direct impact upon the war effort have personally checked out security at Holston Army Markers 4 Continued from Page 1A hopes to finish the project by the end of 2006 if at all possible Brickey said TDOT will give ample notice before the exit signs will be installed is a very complex procedure! that we have to Brickey said we had to go back and change the mileage of 1-26 to go from Kingsport to western North Carolina we went ahead and did a remeasuring of the interstate We did that for a couple of reasons to double confirm what the new exit numbers will be and to (determine) how many signs shields etc will have to be manufactured where we are right now We have handed this over to a contractor and in the process of manufacturing all the New exit numbers he said should coincide with the recently updated mile markers which begin in Kingsport and end at the North Carolina border Local businesses however should not worry about changing marketing material immediately Brickey said TDOT will leave up to any operations definitely not a risk to our more secure areas have 6000 acres which is 10 square miles and our security officers do walk the fence The ammunition operation contract is held by BAE Systems and security is subcontracted to Wackenhut Services Inc which employs the officers who made the security breach allegations Officers have also complained that they are paid less than security officers working in similar government installations across the country BAE Systems operates HAAP on a cost facilities use which ensures the war fighter receives a high quality product at a predetermined price on demand McClendon said The fixed cost facilities use contract is renegotiated every five years and McClendon suggested that until the contract is renegotiated -again Wackenhut officers will likely continue to receive the same pay think some of the security officers are concerned about their McClendon said Munitions Command has been in dialogue with the Department of Labor on the applicability of the Service Contract Act to Holston Army Ammunition Plant and we are still awaiting their response This has to do with pay of our security officers and all related to this Service Contract Act their (security right to call legislators and the media and I want to say again that we welcome oversight because we want to maintain a good security BAE Systems Director of Commercial Development and Community Relations Tony Hewitt told the NET News have a chance to get used to them and get aquatinted with the new exit numbers You have to rush out and change your Web site or your letterhead or business cards whatever you might have with the old exit numbers on them It gives everyone a transition All you need is the financing the right place ttl LENDER 4 rr unifiuMiiH -t Brand TJcvj! 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