Minutes 08/24/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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AUQust 24. 2010 WHEREAS, the Defense Business Board Report also stated a need to do more in-depth study which has not been done on the JFCOM issue; and WHEREAS, on August 9, 2010, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates officially recommended that JFCOM be closed; and WHEREAS, the proposed closure of JFCOM is being done without any regard for Federal Law, particularly Title 10 of the U.S. Code, S 2687 which was established to ensure that Congress has sufficient time and opportunity to review the DOD proposal that resulted in the closure realignment of significant military facilities which JFCOM surely is; and WHEREAS, the closure of JFCOM would have an immediate and continuing severely detrimental effect on the military's ability to jointly address threats to national security and would greatly weaken the effectiveness and efficiency of the individual uniformed services to function as one cohesive and joint military force to counter, among other things, worldwide terrorism; and WHEREAS, the existence and location of JFCOM played the definitive role in the establishment and continuation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) Supreme Allied Command - Transformation (SAC-T) component, as the only United States based NATO command, co-located adjacent to JFCOM headquarters, the impact of which is not included in the over $700 million impact mentioned above; and WHEREAS, if JFCOM is closed the continued operation of NATO's SAC-T command in the Hampton Roads region may also well be placed at risk; and WHEREAS, the Hampton Roads region is united in this effort to maintain JFCOM and the preparedness of our military. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia that it strongly opposes the Secretary of Defense's recommendation to close the United States Joint Forces Command; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Governor Robert McDonnell and the Commonwealth's Congressional and General Assembly delegations are urgently requested to do all things necessary to maintain the current level of JFCOM activities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that maintaining JFCOM activities at the current level will not only be beneficial for the economy of Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth but also critical to support our military men and women who are now fighting wars on two different fronts, while also being called upon to, along with our allies, jointly address threats throughout the world; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT that the proposed closure of JFCOM should be undertaken either as part of a base realignment and closure process as established by Congress or within the strict intent and impact of 10 USC 260-2687; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Portsmouth stands ready to work diligently with the localities of the Hampton Roads region to maintain JFCOM and ensure the preparedness of our military." Ayes: Cherry, Heretick, Moody, Psi mas, Randall, Whitehurst, Griffin Nays: None '" Mr. Moody asked Staff to look into repainting the traffic markings throughout the City.