An uproar of protest last night failed to stop the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Authority from approving a new contract to sell county property to The O'Gara Group Inc. for a security training operation near Montross.
Six county deputies arrived at the raucous meeting after one O'Gara opponent stood on a bench to shout his opposition to a closed session called by the IDA to discuss a lawsuit filed against it by other O'Gara critics.
"We're tired of you going behind closed doors!" yelled Harry Scott of Mount Holly to the cheers of other angry citizens who had packed the General District Courtroom. "I know I'm out of order, but you're the ones who are out of order. We want you to listen to us!" Scott said.
The passage of the closed-session motion met a loud chorus of disapproval. "You'll go down in history as the people who destroyed Westmoreland County!" said one voice in the crowd.
"You're not going to leave this room!" Scott yelled as he ran to a side door of the courtroom to block the exit of the IDA members and other county officials.
They left the the room through another door. Loud boos and cries of "Shame! Shame on you!" followed the officials out the door.
The county officials were out of the room about 20 minutes. O'Gara foes used the time to read letters critical of the firearms, driving and combat training that O'Gara plans to conduct.
Norma J. McGuire questioned O'Gara's association with DynCorp, a major defense contractor. Some DynCorp personnel have been involved in crimes and scandals in Iraq and Afghanistan, she claimed. "What are we getting ourselves into?" she said. O'Gara "is another DynCorp!"
The police were in full view when IDA members returned. On the recommendation of O'Gara attorney Richard H. Stuart of Montross, who did not attend the meeting, the IDA voted unanimously to terminate its existing contract with O'Gara, refund its earlier $33,959 deposit and approve a new contract.
Except for closing dates, the terms of both contracts are essentially the same, including a new $33,959 deposit.
Both call for O'Gara to purchase the county's 50,000-square-foot shell building and 25 acres of surrounding land for $679,178. O'Gara has also contracted to buy 325 acres of adjacent agricultural land from S.B. Chandler.
The existing contract expires at midnight tonight. The new contract takes effect one minute later.
It extends settlement to Nov. 1, "or at such time as all outstanding appeals periods have expired relating to the proposed use of the property but not later than Dec. 31, 2009."
The new contract came in reaction to a lawsuit filed this month by O'Gara opponents. They asked the Westmoreland Circuit Court to nullify the original contract approved by the IDA at a January meeting on the grounds that the meeting violated freedom-of-information statutes.
"I feel as comfortable today going through with this contract as I did before," said IDA member Paul Tsompanos of Colonial Beach.
"I'm still convinced this is good for our community," said Tsompanos to a chorus of derision from the packed courtroom. By then, two state troopers had arrived.
"Shame!" yelled the spectators when the IDA voted unanimously to approve the new contract.
"Is this 1939 all over again?" yelled one member of the audience.
"No, it's 1984!" another voice shouted in response.
"I move we adjourn," an IDA member yelled over the din.
"Immediate injunction with the federal court in Richmond!" shouted an angry person in the crowd.
Frank Delano: 804/761-4300
Email: fpdelano@gmail.com