Memorial Campus-Should the City of Cumberland Gov. be allowed to move there?

[Ron Martin]

What are the thoughts of the citizens in Allegany County about the City of Cumberland Gov., other government agencies like the Bd. Of Ed., City Police, County Commission, State of MD, and other quasi interlated gov. organizations moving to the Memorial Campus to help make the decision that was made a success ?

The payment of rents sure would help I think.

[Dynamo]

R u trying to get your hands on the Kelly complex?

[Ron Martin]

No.  Just seems like the access, parking, Class A building, central location for gov. would be better.  Gov. to share common facilities plus the developer would benefit.

[John Michael Davis]

What are the thoughts of the citizens in Allegany County about the City of Cumberland Gov., other government agencies like the Bd. Of Ed., City Police, County Commission, State of MD, and other quasi interlated gov. organizations moving to the Memorial Campus to help make the decision that was made a success ?

The payment of rents sure would help I think.

Maybe they should buy the building instead.

[Ron Martin]

I guess than can ask the developer.

[Dynamo]

What are the thoughts of the citizens in Allegany County about the City of Cumberland Gov., other government agencies like the Bd. Of Ed., City Police, County Commission, State of MD, and other quasi interlated gov. organizations moving to the Memorial Campus to help make the decision that was made a success ?

The payment of rents sure would help I think.

Why would they give up their current locations?

[Ron Martin]

Dynamo

See reply # 2

[woogus]

What are the thoughts of the citizens in Allegany County about the City of Cumberland Gov., other government agencies like the Bd. Of Ed., City Police, County Commission, State of MD, and other quasi interlated gov. organizations moving to the Memorial Campus to help make the decision that was made a success ?

The payment of rents sure would help I think.

Maybe they should buy the building instead.

I could have this wrong but doesn't the City of Cumberland own the Memorial Campus?

You know, I've always been a little fuzzy on what an internet "troll" is or what it is "to troll" but I guess like pornography, you'll know it when you see it.  Thank, Ron Miller, for clearing that up for me.

[Albert Keener]

What are the thoughts of the citizens in Allegany County about the City of Cumberland Gov., other government agencies like the Bd. Of Ed., City Police, County Commission, State of MD, and other quasi interlated gov. organizations moving to the Memorial Campus to help make the decision that was made a success ?

The payment of rents sure would help I think.

It wouldn't make sense for the City because of the specialized facilities the offices are next to and the historic nature of City Hall.

For example, it wouldn't make sense to move the street department manager's office away from the equipment at Bowen Street, and it wouldn't make sense to move Engineering or the Police department out of the Public Safety building because the Fire Department would still need the building and all you would wind up with an empty building.  And what would be the point of vacating City Hall?

I would make sense for the County or State Agencies, however, but this could also be done with the Sacred Heart Campus.

A developer that wants other buildings however, could do what the Health System did when it wanted the site where the old health department was to build the new hospital; it could buy a hospital or a even just a portion of either property, fix it up for the county and trade it for other facilities like the county complex on Kelly Road.

[Ron Martin]

Albert,

Nice thinking.

[Montys Python]

There IS merit in this idea! Very similar to the proposed State Center in midtown Baltimore. We could literally have a "government city" with ample parking and complete 1 stop shopping for residents.

What departments and agencies could occupy this structure and I wonder what the toal number of employees would be? This would be a major income generator for any developer. But the problem would be getting government to sign on.

[Ron Martin]

Montys,

You've got to be joking.  You may think someone other than you might think of something.

[Montys Python]

Ron what are you trying to say? Are you channeling your inner John Michael Davis in this post?

[John Michael Davis]

Ron what are you trying to say? Are you channeling your inner John Michael Davis in this post?

What does my name have anything to do with this? I wonder where Ron comes up with these ideas.

[illuminati]

This would allow the return of a sizeable industrial park where the County Offices are now.  And isnt there some new fangled internet hub that is currently dark at the site of the old Kelly Springfield Plant that could be taken advantage by economic development in luring in businesses and manufacturing to that site?

I have been told by some who have toured the old Memorial Campus that the building was left in quite bad condition by the WMHS.  There was a total disregard for any future use of the building by the WMHS when they vacated the building.  Any redevelopment whether it be private or public of the building will incur significant costs to renovate many damaged rooms and sections.

[Albert Keener]

I wish that entire Kelly complex would become a technology park because of the access to the fiber, instead of being used for warehouses and a county office building.  I really wish the YMCA would have been built somewhere else like at Constitution Park- there was plenty of room for a facility like that up there and it could have been built by clearing a small portion of wooded area for it.  The current usage of the Kelly complex doesn't currently make full use of the infrastructure that is currently there.

John Laughlin described the poor condition the Memorial was left in at a recent city council meeting.  A lot of things were pryed away from the walls with crowbars and not much regard for the facility, as if it were to be demolished.

[John Michael Davis]

I wish that entire Kelly complex would become a technology park because of the access to the fiber, instead of being used for warehouses and a county office building.  I really wish the YMCA would have been built somewhere else like at Constitution Park- there was plenty of room for a facility like that up there and it could have been built by clearing a small portion of wooded area for it.  The current usage of the Kelly complex doesn't currently make full use of the infrastructure that is currently there.

John Laughlin described the poor condition the Memorial was left in at a recent city council meeting.  A lot of things were pryed away from the walls with crowbars and not much regard for the facility, as if it were to be demolished.

Albert making the West Side industrial Park a tech only place is not a good idea. Besides this town won't be able to grow unless the state of Maryland realises how wrong many regulations and tax hikes since the 1970's has been a mistake. I believe the state residents have slowly realised they elected the wrong Delegates, Senators, Comptroller, and Governor for these many decades. Even the residents have realised how wrong was to keep re-electing Louis L Goldstein untill he died in office was a mistake. Besides there is a industrial park for tech and its in Frostburg. The west side industrial park is designated for Manufacturing and it's supposed to of been. The only way it will be filled with places of employers is a massive change at the state level and having the state end any local option to keep a business property tax because its the second biggest burden around for job growth. The final idea to attract employers that do tech, manufacturing, warehouses, and call centers is to end laws that burden job creation that the state is allowed to do. I happen to believe every industrial Park can eventually be filled. I believe the culture of Maryland of today is we hate private sector jobs that also includes tech, manufacturing, warehouses, and call centers. Also the culture of Maryland of today is that it loves no jobs and put as many people on Welfare as possible.

[Albert Keener]

John, You don't seem to back up your rationale with much of an argument.  You just say its a bad idea because the place used to have a factory there so it should continue as a manufacturing site in perpetuity and then complain about state politics.  Seems a little defeatist to say somethings a bad idea without really considering what may make it a good idea.

What makes this site unique for a technology park is because there is an electrical substation there as well as the facility that taps into the Level 3 fiber.  Bear in mind that this park could also be used for other heavy users of bandwidth such as financial services and other industry that has the potential to yield good paying jobs.  There are plenty of other sites suitable for warehouses and manufacturing in this county, namely in the Mexico Farms and Rawlings area as well as in Frostburg.

Maryland also likes to attract clean industry, thus the regulations.  While I agree that too many regulations are bad for business, this is the type of industry that this state can realistically attract without a comprehensive overhaul of regulations that may take years to accomplish.  I say this county has two choices, keep coming up with excuses why we can't do anything, or come up with a solution that finds a way to make things work.  Aren't you sick of the first option yet?

[John Michael Davis]

John, You don't seem to back up your rationale with much of an argument.  You just say its a bad idea because the place used to have a factory there so it should continue as a manufacturing site in perpetuity and then complain about state politics.  Seems a little defeatist to say somethings a bad idea without really considering what may make it a good idea.

What makes this site unique for a technology park is because there is an electrical substation there as well as the facility that taps into the Level 3 fiber.  Bear in mind that this park could also be used for other heavy users of bandwidth such as financial services and other industry that has the potential to yield good paying jobs.  There are plenty of other sites suitable for warehouses and manufacturing in this county, namely in the Mexico Farms and Rawlings area as well as in Frostburg.

Maryland also likes to attract clean industry, thus the regulations.  While I agree that too many regulations are bad for business, this is the type of industry that this state can realistically attract without a comprehensive overhaul of regulations that may take years to accomplish.  I say this county has two choices, keep coming up with excuses why we can't do anything, or come up with a solution that finds a way to make things work.  Aren't you sick of the first option yet?

I know a tech park in Cumberland is a good idea. The other story I heard was the lack of Broadband. Also bear in mind Manufacturing is what is needed in this area and if we filled up all the parks with Manufacturing and Warehouses. Those 2 as well pay good money. We have a Tech Park up in Frostburg. Besides thus the regulations more of those clean industries would love to come to Maryland but they aren't going to pay the high taxes and also a research lab would like to see those with Phd's. I too like to see IBM move across the river to Maryland possibly at the old Sacred Heart Hospital. Besides these wrong officials that are in office now or were in office there bad actions has led Maryland to a not diverse economy. Lets also bear in mind as long as the state and county continues to have these high rates then alot of business especially alot of clean industry will look at the rates of both and they'll say hello to the South and Delaware. Lets bear in mind the more closed minded officials are in Annapolis. I believe in a diverse economy and tech is one of them. Yes I'm also sick of Governor O'Malley blaming fuel efficent cars for his ignorance. I'm also sick of the local business tax too and either Mr Diaz goes out and admits lack of jobs and high taxes led to crime increase.

I also believe this Ron Martin thinks the County and City will move into Memorial Hospital is a fairy tale.

[John Michael Davis]

John, You don't seem to back up your rationale with much of an argument.  You just say its a bad idea because the place used to have a factory there so it should continue as a manufacturing site in perpetuity and then complain about state politics.  Seems a little defeatist to say somethings a bad idea without really considering what may make it a good idea.

What makes this site unique for a technology park is because there is an electrical substation there as well as the facility that taps into the Level 3 fiber.  Bear in mind that this park could also be used for other heavy users of bandwidth such as financial services and other industry that has the potential to yield good paying jobs.  There are plenty of other sites suitable for warehouses and manufacturing in this county, namely in the Mexico Farms and Rawlings area as well as in Frostburg.

Maryland also likes to attract clean industry, thus the regulations.  While I agree that too many regulations are bad for business, this is the type of industry that this state can realistically attract without a comprehensive overhaul of regulations that may take years to accomplish.  I say this county has two choices, keep coming up with excuses why we can't do anything, or come up with a solution that finds a way to make things work.  Aren't you sick of the first option yet?

I'm also going to add the times from the 1970's to present that when the state of Maryland did raised business taxes including on corporations no new jobs came and when local governments raised taxes then no new jobs came. So Albert when both state and local governments raised taxes on business it caused jobs to not grow and in lot of cases those jobs left the state and areas. We lost lots of Manufacturing and Warehouse jobs in 40 years due to our tax climate and regulations at the state level. Besides we even lost a boat manufactuering. I'm little tired of the blame game by our local and state bureacrauts as well. I heard where Diaz denied that lack of jobs created this crime climate. I know one thing if the crime keeps going up then the 2014 election will see the Democrats lose power at the state level and will lose a few more counties like State Attorney.