Commander invites commerce between businesses and naval base

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers NAVAL BUSINESS—Capt. Brad Connors, commanding officer of the Naval Base Ventura County, addresses a Camarillo Chamber of Commerce business group during a breakfast meeting earlier this month at the Camarillo Library. The base generates nearly $1 billion in revenue for Ventura County. Generating nearly $1 billion for the local economy, Naval Base Ventura County remains a valuable asset to Camarillo small businesses and the rest of Ventura County, said Capt. Brad Connors, the base's commanding officer, during an Aug. 8 breakfast sponsored by the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce at Camarillo Library.

Connors said he not only welcomes but needs the technical goods and services provided by Ventura County's small businesses.

The early morning speech was presented to local business owners.

For goods or services costing $250 or more, the base uses government contractors. But when the amount is less than $250, base officials check the local yellow pages, Connors said.

Products and services of technologically oriented businesses are especially in demand. For instance, if the base were testing a remote control air target retriever, it would need certain types of cables and wiring from industries in the community.

"The uses are endless," Connors said of the goods and services local businesses could supply for the base.

Companies can learn how to become a government contractor or gain entry to the tightly secured military base by visiting www.cnic.navy.mil/ventura/ index.htm

The former Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme and former Naval Air Station Point Mugu merged under one command to form Naval Base Ventura County in 2000. For seven decades, the two bases have provided logistical, education and training support to all branches of the military. The 13,000-acre San Nicholas Island came under base command in 2004. Naval Base Ventura County is the county's largest employer, according to the Ventura County Economic Development Association.

Many of the on-base 4,500 civil-service workers—mostly scientists, engineers and administrative employees—are or will soon be retiring, and it's been difficult recruiting people from outside the area to fill their positions because of the county's high-cost of living, Connors said. Base officials are working with local community colleges and universities to develop curricula that prepare students to fill some of the highly skilled positions on base, he said.

Naval Base Ventura County produced $1.2 billion in goods and services for the nation and the world in 2006, with $950 million of that going into the local economy, according to an association report. Add in taxes generated by the base and purchases made by the hundreds of military families who live there or in surrounding communities, along with spending by the base itself, and "the presence of the base has an undeniable fiscal significance to the county," the report said.

The base could be shut down, Connors said, when the military discusses base closures in 2013. But the military could be swayed to keep it open if the community protests loudly enough, he said. Connors said he can't join in any protests, however, but must follow orders to close it or keep it open.

"I can't advocate," Connors said. "I can only share information."