From the Rolla Daily News.

USGS CLOSING Leaders express 'shock and disappointment'
Friday, September 16, 2005 9:08 AM CDT


Rolla received a major blow yesterday when USGS announced that Denver, Colo., has been selected as the site of the National Geospatial Technical Operation Center.

Rolla was one of three locations, including Denver, being considered for the new center. Now that the site has been selected, all other USGS mapping centers, including Rolla, will close in 12 months.

Employees received notice of the site selection yesterday afternoon.

"We're in a state of shock," said Public Affairs Manager Mark Newell. "We don't know what's next."

Rolla USGS workers were given the rest of the day off to "collect their thoughts," he said.

Closing the USGS in Rolla leaves 185 workers unemployed. It amounts to a loss of $13.74 million in annual payroll. Also lost is $288,476 in city and county tax revenues.

Newell said the Rolla office has an older workforce and some employees will be able to retire.

Others can apply for vacancies within USGS, Karen Siderelis, associate director for Geospatial Information, said during a media teleconference. Those USGS jobs would require employees to relocate.

The human resource department is working with employees on an individual basis to discuss their options, Siderelis said.

No doubt the closure will have an economic impact on Rolla, but city officials said they are more concerned about the employees.


Commentary:

This is MAJOR bad news for Rolla. The loss of 185 well paid professionals will have a huge effect on the economy here. On the other hand, housing prices should come down since there will be a glut of houses. Expect less city services since tax revenue will decrease. Utility rates and local taxes may go up to compensate.

I wonder what will happen to the buiding. Would UMR want it?

This seems to be yet another failure of our elected leaders to keep federal jobs in Missouri. With the loss of the F-15 wing from Lambert and thousands of jobs from St.Louis in the latest base closing decision, it doesn't look good for the state.

yay were all screwed

What is the USGS?

us geo survay... they make maps

Lol, they do more than make maps, although that was always the joke there. I work there as a student, and it really sucks. As for the building, I've heard that it is the only place with a security locked room or whatever for awhile. According to what I heard, UMR has trying to contract the USGS to get access to that room to store some secure projects they've been working on for awhile. Maybe they will buy the building now.

That really sucks for Rolla and UMR. I was there for a year and a half doing software development and loved it. It has already been mentioned on how it hurts the city but it also hurts the university because there are a lot of other students working there (and that have worked there in the past). There is no doubt in my mind that the experience I gained there helped me land my job now (I'm sure the same applies for countless other students too).