MUCH GROWTH AT OUR FOOTSTEPS MEANS A LOT MORE SERVICES NEEDED

As the report will indicate, we are going to need a lot of essential services, as well as, other items today's family needs, such as, things for entertainment, restaurants, retail shops, and much more. This report comes on the heals of the community crying out to the private sector to build baby build. The private sector crying to the banks, lend baby lend. Hopefully, the lending institutions will be able to see the light. These people are coming soon, and some have decided to come know. If you want to ready the entire report visit http://video.onset.freedom.com/nwfdn/l2c5xo-13brac.pdf

Preparing for BRAC: Report details ways area must grow
By MONA MOORE
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4443 mmoore@nwfdailynews.com  

From emergency services to education, the population growth that will accompany the arrival of the Joint Strike Fighter and the Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) will affect many aspects of life on the Emerald Coast. The tri-county region is expected to gain an estimated 11,000 people by 2015. According to a recently released Tri-County Growth Management report, that population boom translates into a need for more law enforcement officers, teachers and public facilities, such as parks and libraries. The study was produced in order to ensure that communities are prepared for the impact to the population. Community leaders will be able to cite the federally funded report when requesting federal funds. It also serves as a gauge, identifying areas that might present future business opportunities, said Elliot Kampert, Okaloosa County’s director of growth management. For example, areas that will have additional families will need more child care businesses. “This study is a tool. It’s a community plan,” Kampert said. The report said the tricounty area will need 66 to 79 new teachers by 2015. Okaloosa County schools will see the greatest influx of students. Of the estimated 2,166 school-aged students, about 1,900 students will attend an Okaloosa County school, according to the report. To prepare for the additional students, the report suggested the district hire eight additional elementary school instructors — three new instructors for middle school and four for high school by 2015. Kay McKinley, Okaloosa’s deputy superintendent, said the district will not hire additional teachers based solely on the report. “We don’t have any concrete numbers,” she said. The report used a formula to predict the number of students, but the district will hire instructors according to the class-size guidelines of the state’s constitution. McKinley met with parents at Fort Bragg. Many of the families will start moving into the area this summer. The district has prepared “not necessarily for the number of students, but the type of students,” she said. Schools are preparing guidance counselors and principals for students who will deal with fathers on longer, more dangerous deployments than most of the current students. The district also has applied for a Department of Defense grant that will fund “military life education counselors.” The report said the Okaloosa County library system is operating below the state’s level of service standards. The standards are based on the number of square feet per population size. The county has about 90,000 square feet for a 2009 population of about 183,000 people and will need an additional 5,900 square feet because of BRAC. Most of the additional library space (4,900 square feet) will be needed in Crestview. Bob Gorin, Okaloosa County library co-op administrator, agreed with the report. “I think they (Crestview) need to expand the current library and build a branch library, be it a storefront or new building, in south Crestview,” he said. The report also suggested that Fort Walton Beach continue with plans to build a branch in Kenwood. According to the report, Walton, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties will need 21 additional law enforcement officers, the majority of them (17) in Crestview. The report also suggested the area hire an additional 17 firefighters. Crestview likely will need an additional fire station and 13 of the 17 firefighters by 2015. More important than the additional personnel will be the additional training, the report states. Public safety and emergency services will see an increase in cases involving people with post traumatic stress disorders and traumatic brain injuries.