HEIDELBERG, Germany -- The Installation Management Command is transferring approximately $30 million into U.S. Army Garrison Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg coffers within the next month to help the garrison fund building and infrastructure maintenance and renovation.
The money, which is considered sustainment, revitalization and modernization, or SRM, funds, will be used to support Army transformation in Europe and to improve utility infrastructure.
"We typically don't get a lot of additional funds outside our original allocation at the start of the fiscal year, so this was kind of like a surprise to us," said Richard Glass, DPW facilities manager, USAG Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg.
The money will be divided among the garrison's communities with Kaiserslautern receiving the bulk of the funds, which are an indirect result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 passed in February.
"The money we're getting is not a direct result of the stimulus package," Glass said. "But, it's a domino effect - the stimulus package was used to fund additional projects in the states and IMCOM took the opportunity to reallocate some of their usual funds."
Of the total amount, Kaiserslautern is receiving $22 million, which will be used to "repair and renovate facilities before new units move into K-town," Glass said.
"Kaiserslautern is a large community - and as of now the only enduring community in USAG Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg footprint - so it only makes sense they would get a larger portion of this money," said Col. Robert Ulses, USAG Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg commander.
The Germersheim Army Depot, an enduring installation, will receive $3.1 million of USAG Heidelberg's $4.5 million share; USAG Mannheim will receive $1.3 million; and $1.2 million will go to Darmstadt to fund close-out projects.
USAG Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg is still financially responsible for Darmstadt for fiscal year 2009, despite the community's closure last fall.
Nearly $9 million has already flowed to the communities, and some work has been completed because the garrisons have front-funded projects and are being reimbursed for those expenses.
As an example, USAG Mannheim pre-financed the repair and renovation of the Coleman Confinement Facility, and has been reimbursed $570,000, Glass said.
"This money reimburses them for those projects that they can use on other last-minute year-end type things," said Glass, adding that the money must still fall under SRM guidelines, meaning they must spend the money to do maintenance and repair of buildings and property and pay utility bills.
The approximately $30 million will fund about 51 total projects ranging from a new roof at School Age Services in Mannheim; solar panels on warehouses at the Germersheim Army Depot; second-floor fire exits on Kilbourne Kaserne and funding the final phase of the Patrick Henry Village Plaza project.
"These SRM funds allow us to provide better facilities to our Soldiers, civilian employees and their family members to live, work and play in, while furthering the transformation goals of the Army in Europe," Ulses said.
(Editor's Note: Jason L. Austin writes for the USAG Baden-Wuerttemberg newspaper, the Herald Post).
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