Re: Introduction

[coho@whidbey.net]

Posting from coho@whidbey.net (Bill Skubi)

The transfer of civilian oversight from a TRC to RAB at NAS Whidbey Island
was accompanied by a change of meeting location from on base to a meeting
room at the Oak Harbor City/Community College library off base. There is a
precedent for you. Also, our one year experience with the RAB seeting has
been a tendency for the Navy to dominate the flow of information from the
Navy and its contractors to the RAB. It was not until some confrontation and
the appointment of our second community co-chair that that individual
insisted on equal time for publicly reviewing community concerns as a
condition of his taking on the considerable responsibilities of co chairmanship.
Hope that is helpful.
Bill Skubi/ WISE>
> I am a cofounder of a group called Valley Citizens for a Safe
> Environment. The group has been pestering officials at Westover ARB in
> Chicopee, MA, since they decided to bring C-5A cargo jets here in 1986.
> 
> Westover is currently switching from a Technical Review Committee to a
> RAB and I am very concerned with holding them to the mandated
> procedures, especially because we know the base commander specifically
> postponed this transition. So far, the base seems to be maneuvering to
> make the RAB a TRC by another name. They are not shy about saying how
> well they felt the TRC was working- it was working well for them because it
> had virtually no connection with the community affected.
> 
> Any advice for approaching a first RAB meeting? My inclination is to not
> let them present specific data and remedial plans until they comply with
> procedure. I am not, for instance, happy that the first meeting is to be
> held in the Wing Command room of the base; hardly neutral territory.
> 
> Thanks for your work.
> 
> Sincerely, David Keith <dbkGU@hamp.hampshire.edu>