Fort Monmouth: What Happens Now?

As in the case of any passing, arrangements need to be made. So while the last remaining soldiers and employees go through the motions of closing Fort Monmouth Thursday, with reverence and , there will be others behind the scenes attending to details for life after Fort Monmouth. Here are some of the answers to the question, "What happens after Thursday?"

Will it be safe?

There has been much talk about security at Fort Monmouth. Pre-Sept. 15, if you drove past the barded wire fence of the fort you would see armed soldiers, in their intimidating camoflauge uniforms, at every gate. On Friday that will change.

Residents and local officials here have feared that with the Army's exit, the property, commonly referred to as a small city, would become a ghost town and a target for crime or vagrancy. In Eatontown, Mayor Gerald Tarantolo says he already sees how the is hurting his residents quality of life and feeling of safety.

The folks in charge of the redevelopment of the property are the (FMERA). Since this is their assest to market, they have a vested interest in seeing it protected, as does the Army. For its part, FMERA is coordinating with the New Jersey State Police to serve and protect the property and the employees who will be working there. FMERA has not made any official announcement as to specifics, but this week Tarantolo said the fort will be home to a state police barracks with 59 state troopers. 

In August, FMERA Executive Director Bruce Steadman said the state police would initially be stationed in Russell Hall, on the Oceanport side of the main post and that they were looking for a more permanent headquarters. He also noted that they would be policing the entire 1,100-plus acre property.

In a press release Thursday, Steadman said, “We want to make it crystal clear to the surrounding community, potential investors, and employers that there will be a 24/7 police presence and that those assets will be protected and maintained as of September 16, after the Army leaves.  Having the New Jersey State Police provide law enforcement protection on the Fort only reinforces FMERA’s strong commitment to ensuring a secure environment.”

Will it become an eyesore? And will anyone be there?

For the Army's part, it will be providing a to maintain the grounds and buildings. They will also provide guards for the gates. The east gate in Oceanport will be open 24 hours a day. Just like in the days of Fort Monmouth, visitors will need to have clearance to get on the property. The Johnson gate, which is on Route 35 in Eatontown at Tinton Avenue will be open during business hours, five days a week.

FMERA has also said that it will be moving a gate in the Charles Wood section in Tinton Falls from Battan Avenue and Corregidor Road. This was to make the 260 acres of Charles Wood more accessible for FMERA officials marketing the property and any contractors hired for redevelopment.

The redevelopment authority is also looking for a home for itself on the property. FMERA offices are currently located on Corbett Way in Eatontown's Industrial Park. Steadman said he hopes the offices will be relocated by May or June of next year, with a $1 lease from the Army. This would be the new location for all public meetings, committee work and business meetings.

What if there is a fire?

Tuesday when the garrison held its deacivation ceremony, a handful of uniformed firemen stood outside the Fort Monmouth firehouse, their engines shining in the bright sun. As of Friday, all those guys will be out of a job, which means there will be no one stationed at the fort for fire protection.

If a building at the fort was to burn, the burden of responding would fall to the fire fighters of Oceanport, Tinton Falls and Eatontown. This has been an area of great concern for the mayors of these towns, which they have voiced several times publicly to FMERA. Since then Rick Harrison, program coordinator at the authority, has been working with the Army and the fire officials in the three towns to design a fire plan. The plan will include KnoxBoxes on buildings, maps, keys, markers indicating which buildings to save, etc. You can read more about these plans .

Recently Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon said his fire officials, along with those from the other two towns, met as part of FMERA's fire task force. Mahon said the fire officials would tour the fort (pre- and post-closure) to familiarize themselves with the buildings and to build a mental picture of where they might be responding.

Mahon said now that fire planning had begun in earnest, his team is becoming more confident. "But not as much as we would have been three or four months ago, not having waited until the last minute."

"On a fire-for-fire basis [the local departments] are certainly capable of handling everything that comes their way," he said.

Eatontown emergency service providers also voiced their concerns at the Sept. 7 council workshop meeting that no solid plan was set in place. They told mayor and council that at that point, they didn't have a clear picture of what buildings would be occupied and what types of chemicals or environmental hazards would be left behind.

"You've got such an unknown every time you get a call from there," said Eatontown Councilman Dennis Connelly.

What the towns may be less prepared for is the absence of those Fort Monmouth fire fighters who responded to municipal fires through mutual aid. The fort also provided the Haz-Mat team for the area. That duty will now fall to the county Haz-Mat team. Some local firefighters have called into question the county's ability to fill the boots of that Fort Monmouth team.

As of Sept. 15 there have been no official announcements about the fire plan being finalized. Mahon said that the plan will continue to evolve and indicated he had a tentative confidence that all the details would be worked out.

Tarantolo said that he was "a little skeptical" that everything would be in place in time for the Army's departure. "We've had assurances," he said in early September, "but nothing official."