U.S. Army Garrison Fort Benning leaders and the City of Smiths Station officials formally entered a community partnership July 12, which enhances training range facility support services.
During a signing ceremony at the Smiths Station Government Center, Alabama, Fort Benning Garrison Commander, Lt. Col. Yolanda M. Edwards and the honorable Fred Copeland Jr., Mayor of Smiths Station, signed a proclamation for the Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA). Beginning in September, the IGSA will provide training range facility support services which enable readiness, efficiency, and modernization.
The IGSA allows Fort Benning to partner with county personnel and subject matter experts from the City of Smiths Station for the next 10 years at a significant cost savings for Fort Benning.
“This IGSA is so important not only for saving money for Fort Benning, but it also provides revenue for your city. We look at it as a mutually beneficial partnership and we look forward to continuing a fruitful relationship and hopefully more IGSA to come,” said Edwards.
The IGSA partnership will include a complete maintenance program for servicing, cleaning, and maintaining septic tank systems and equipment, while improving service routes and quality of service. Other services provided by the IGSA include maintaining and cleaning vaulted field latrines, placing and servicing over 1,800 portable toilets, placing hand wash stations as needed for health and safety and performing maintenance in accordance with frequencies specified.
“As Mayor of Smiths Station, a city that is located so close to one of the world’s largest premier military installations I am beyond excited for us to create a working partnership with our friends at Fort Benning,” said Copeland. “This ceremony will be the culmination of months and months of work and I am excited for what the future holds for our two entities, together. The IGSA will ultimately result in the creation of jobs for Smiths Station residents.”
Further, the partnership is implementing a software system for tracking deliveries, orders, and cleanings, as well as working with the Department of Public Works to ensure that no training or mission is impacted.
Additional benefits of the IGSA are responding to emergencies such as facility water outages, the disposal of waste in a state-certified facility, enforcing EPA guidelines for sewage and liquid waste disposal, and supporting numerous annual special events and ceremonies.
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Benning supports mission readiness execution, enables the well-being of Soldiers, civilians, retirees, and their Families, improves infrastructure, and preserves the environment through the equitable, effective, and efficient support of installation services.
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