News

Today is BRAC day
By Celeste Calvitto, Journal Staff Writer

On Monday evening, in the summer shadows of Mount Rushmore's four famous faces, two men who are critical to the future of Ellsworth Air Force Base mingled with South Dakota's movers and shakers.

The informal cocktail reception at the Shrine of Democracy for two members of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission is a stark contrast to the scenario that will play out today at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, when BRAC commissioners and local and state leaders meet again.

The BRAC regional hearing, where the case will be made to remove Ellsworth from the Department of Defense base-closing list, will be a structured, almost courtroom-like affair, with scripted testimony timed to the second and pointed questions that will demand answers.

But last night, officials from throughout the state and Black Hills business leaders wined and dined BRAC commissioners Philip Coyle and James Bilbray. A third member of the commission, Samuel Skinner, will be at the hearing today.

Al Cornella of Rapid City, a former member of the BRAC commission during the 1995 round of base-closings, was among the crowd of about 100 at the reception. He said it is customary for community leaders to meet and greet visiting commissioners, but during his time on the commission, there were no venues that he visited that could compare to Mount Rushmore.

Cornella made a special point of mentioning that BRAC commissioners "must pay for their own meals."

Bruce Rampelberg, chairman of the Ellsworth Task Force, told the crowd before the arrival of the commissioners, "This is kind of a social time."

"We are not here to talk about the BRAC stuff," he said. "Ask them whether they are fishermen or hunters."

"They are being very gracious," Rampelberg said. "They have had a long day already."

A short time later, Coyle and Bilbray, escorted by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Rep. Stephanie Herseth, D-S.D., Gov. Mike Rounds and Mount Rushmore superintendent Gerard Baker, entered the reception and got down to the business of enjoying the buffet.

The reception was the first part of the welcome the commissioners will receive in the Black Hills.

Today, after a tour of Ellsworth, the commissioners' motorcade will be escorted to Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City by a cavalcade of motorcycles led by Sturgis Mayor Mark Zeigler.

The Ellsworth Task Force is hoping that the civic center will be filled to capacity - precisely 9,566 - and that thousands more will be stationed along the motorcade route.

The motorcade is scheduled to arrive in Rapid City about 12:15 p.m.

Those attending the hearing are encouraged to arrive early. The doors to the 1 p.m. hearing will open to the public at 11:30 a.m.

Contact Celeste Calvitto at 394-8438 or celeste.calvitto@rapidcityjournal.com

BRAC route

The route for the BRAC commissioners' motorcade:

* Main gate of Ellsworth Air Force Base.

* Liberty Boulevard to Interstate 90.

* I-90 to Exit 57.

* South on I-190/West Boulevard to Franklin Street.

* A U-turn, then north on West Boulevard to St. Joseph Street.

* East on St. Joseph to the Hotel Alex Johnson on Sixth Street.

* Left on Sixth Street, then left on Main Street.

* Right on Mount Rushmore Road and north to Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.