Defense-Conversion Bid OKd by County

Seeking to assist local defense industries that have been hurt by military cutbacks, Ventura County supervisors Tuesday approved development of a long-range plan to help those businesses adapt to the commercial marketplace.

The board unanimously voted to approve a $118,000 contract with San Francisco-based consultant DRI / McGraw Hill to put together the defense-conversion plan, which is expected to take six months to complete. The project is being financed with a grant from the Department of Defense.

The defense-conversion plan will look at providing government loans to aerospace and other high-tech industries that want to convert their facilities to meet future needs, officials said. It will also look at developing education and training programs to help workers transfer their skills to other jobs.

County officials said the area’s two Navy bases employ about 20,000 civilian and government workers and generate a combined payroll of about $1.5 billion annually.

Supervisor John K. Flynn said he believes that the defense-conversion plan will not only help find new ways to retain existing industries in the county but also provide them the opportunity to expand.