Courtesy: Massachusetts National Guard
BOURNE – Officials with the U.S. Air National Guard continue to explore the possibility of privatizing sewage, water utilities and electrical services at Joint Base Cape Cod.
Colonel Virginia Gaglio informed Falmouth selectmen of the effort during a May 20 meeting, saying that the Town of Barnstable and a private company have shown interest in handling the base’s utilities.
Gaglio says the move to privatize utilities is part of a larger initiative to reduce the overall size of the base.
“We were successful in transferring about 150 acres in the cantonment area, which right now is grassland for the most part, and about six acres that the fire station resides on, and we’ve sent that back to the Commonwealth,” said Gaglio.
“The Air Force will have removed themselves from the lease and the Air National Guard from the license, and that will go back and potentially be used to for the Sheriff to expand the use of 911 operations out there because its Commonwealth land now.”
The land transfer still requires Governor Charlie Baker’s signature to officially make it state property again.
Gaglio says once that happens, the space could potentially be used for an expansion of the Emergency Communications Center of the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office.
“The 102nd Intelligence Wing is just shy of 1,300 people. About one-third of them are full-time Monday through Friday, and the rest are drill staff, guardsmen, traditional reservists, if you will,” Gaglio said.
U.S. Air National Guard Brigadier General Christopher Faux says negotiations are also ongoing with the Barnstable Fire Department to house its training academy. General Faux also says in July, the base will host its first ever police academy.
In 2018, Joint Base Cape Cod employed 4.571 people and generated over $550 million into the economy.
By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center
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