Design dispute ends construction to begin on emergency center

An impasse in the upgrade to the Harford County Emergency BTC Operations Center in Bel Air has been resolved and construction is ready to begin, according to U.S. Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a 2nd District Republican.

The county is required to upgrade and improve its EOC, which was built in 1962 and refurbished in 1984, according to the guidelines of the Army's Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program. The money for the project already had been allocated: $2.1 million from the federal government and $1.5 million from the state and Harford County.

Progress slowed during the architectural and engineering design phase. On Feb. 23, Mr. Ehrlich summoned the parties involved in the project, including the CSEPP and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to his Towson office in an attempt to break the impasse.

After several more meetings, Mr. Ehrlich said yesterday that the impasse had been resolved.

Pub Date: 3/20/96