Harford officials vow to counter union criticism

The seven-page newsletter aims to persuade Fort Monmouth, N.J., employees not to come to Maryland when their jobs are transferred to Aberdeen Proving Ground as part of the federal Base Realignment and Closure process.

Harford officials say they’ll dispel the claims made by the unions, the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Federation of Federal Employees.

“We’re trying to let people know that we’re not at the end of a dirt road with a banjo playing,” said James Richardson, Harford’s economic development director. “There have been blogs and Web sites up there bashing the county before. But this is the first time it’s come from a recognized source in those two unions.”

Many workers from Fort Monmouth have been outspoken about their opposition to BRAC, which ordered the closure of the New Jersey base and the transfer of its jobs to APG. The e-mail also criticized what it called a “big-brother environment” created by Aberdeen’s surveillance cameras in high-crime areas.

Richardson said he would deal with the claims at the many meetings and events he attends in New Jersey for potential transfers.

He said the tax situation varies from case to case based on income and property values; the KKK has no active presence; and claims about tainted milk are “hogwash.”

“These are intelligent people. They’ll make their decisions based on facts, not rumors and innuendo,” he said. County spokeswoman Roxanne Lynch said there would not be a formal response to the claims or litigation because the county does not respond to Web sites or e-mails.

“The media’s doing a pretty good job of showing these claims to be false,” Lynch said.

A tour of Harford County’s neighborhoods will be offered to 180 potential transfers from New Jersey on May 3; a similar tour of Baltimore City was held Saturday.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com