Westfield Barnes Regional Airport Manager Brian Barnes, right, chats with Sen. Elizabeth A. Warren, D-Mass, during a stop in Westfield yesterday. Warren toured the current runway construction project with, left-right, Maj Gen. L. Scott Rice, Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard, Brig Gen. Gary Keefe, Adjutant General (Air) Massachusetts National Guard, Col. James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing commander, Westfield City Advancement Officer Jeff Daley, and Richard K.Sullivan Jr., Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
WESTFIELD – Yesterday afternoon, Westfield’s Barnes Air National Guard Base served as one of the last stops for first-term Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren on her western Mass. tour, after stopping by North Adams and Pittsfield earlier in the day.
Warren was given a tour the base and took time to discuss the latest construction project on the airbase, which doubles as the city of Westfield’s municipal airport.
Improvements are being made to revamp the main runway for Barnes’ 104th Fighter Wing, one of the most important National Guard bases in the eastern United States and a key nesting spot for the 104th Wing’s F-15 fighter jets, which are currently being housed at Otis Air National Guard Base, located on Joint Base Cape Cod.
According to Barnes Airport manager Brian Barnes, the improvements to the airport/ base’s facilities, which will cost in the ballpark of $14 million, are overdue.
“Typically, a runway’s lifespan is 20 years, and these have been in place for about 28 years.” said Barnes in a makeshift press conference prior to the Senator’s arrival. “It (the new construction) will benefit general aviation and the (National Guard) for another 25 years.”
Barnes likened the projects to an “extreme makeover” and explained the need for new additions of concrete on the runway as a means of helping to combat the intense heat of the jet’s afterburners.
While the project’s construction, which began yesterday with the setup of barricades and the moving of heavy equipment into place, may jump out to a hot start, it may be forced to slow down before long according to Barnes.
“There are only two companies in the United States that groove runways,” He said of what may prove to be the trickiest aspect of the whole project. “So that’s the long pole in the tent. We’re hoping to have a usable runway by perhaps the first, maybe the second week of November. We may even have to wait till after Thanksgiving.”
Shortly after 4:00 PM, the Senator arrived with several leaders of the 104th, who applauded Sen. Warren’s efforts in Washington.
“The runway was deteriorating,” said Col. James Keefe, emphasizing the dire need for the improvements. “It wasn’t able to keep up with the mission of the F-15’s. After-burn blasts were tearing up some of the asphalt.”
“It’s a great way from my level (as Major General) to join hand in hand, to bring in federal, state and local where we put everything together in the same place and get the greatest bang for our buck.” said Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, speaking on the combined efforts to raise the funding necessary to make the improvements to the base.
Sen. Warren herself was enthusiastic about getting the project off the ground.
“This is seeing partnership in action,” said the first-term Senator, who hails from Oklahoma and resides in Cambridge when Congress isn’t in session. “It works for the region, it works for the base, but most of all, it works for our country. It keeps us safe and it does it in a cost-effective manner… I’m real proud to be here today.”
Warren also touched on the jobs being kept in Westfield and in the surrounding towns, and the parties most responsible for bringing about the renovations.
“The best part here is we’ve got real leaders here,” She said. “We’ve got good partners at the state level, but also good partners at local level. The base is strong, the base is here to stay. The folks who work here, they buy haircuts, they buy pizzas, they buy property out in the area, it makes a real difference. This is a place where partnerships matter.”
Sen. Warren also touched on the airbase’s importance to the region and where things are likely headed from here.
“Western Mass. is a place that has to build on its strengths and one of them is Barnes.” She said. “We build a future by investing in education and this kind of infrastructure, on innovation and research. Barnes is a great example of that.”
Joining the Senator on her tour was Rick Sullivan, the state Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and former Mayor of Westfield from 1994 to 2007, who spoke of the project and Barnes’ importance to the city of Westfield.
“People are very supportive of the Guard (in Westfield) and it (the base) is an important economic driver and an important investment in the region. You have the federal government, the guard bureau and the state all throwing money in to make this a reality.” Sullivan said.
As a member of former Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray’s task force on base closings and alignment situations, which evaluated the six bases in Massachusetts, Sullivan said the biggest weakness at Barnes was it’s runway.
Sullivan would also touch upon the addition of significant private investment across the runway from Gulfstream, an Aerospace Corporation which opened a 125,000 square foot maintainance hangar in May to the tune of $23 million.
“The Mayor (Dan Knapik) was able to point out to Gulftstream that here (at Barnes), you have a 24/7 operation, fully staffed, with a fire dept and a tower that.” He said. “It works as a big calling card and big benefit for the city. Mayor Knapik played it well to bring Gulfstream here. It’s a partnership that works for everyone.”
Sen. Warren would also touch upon Sullivan’s importance to the project.
“This is so clearly a joint effort, and it wouldn’t have been possible without his help,” She said of Sullivan, who was sworn into his current position by Deval Patrick at the start of Governor’s second term in January 2011. “And the best part about that it, when you get started (in join efforts), everyone’s piece becomes more valuable.”
