(BEDFORD) – This morning, the Lawrence County Commissioners met Mark Dobbs, the new Community Planning and Liaison Officer at Naval Support Activity Crane.
Dobbs has been in this role since August 2019. He will serve as the point of contact between the base and local communities.
Dobbs is responsible for establishing working relationships with off-base agencies while keeping Navy leaders informed of encroachment challenges and threats.
In addition, Dobbs coordinates encroachment actions with the Regional Community Planning and Liaison Office including developing and facilitating Encroachment Partnering strategies and activities with other federal, state and local governments and non-governmental agencies.
His other responsibilities include managing and executing the Installation Encroachment Action Plan, establishing and facilitating the Installation Encroachment Working Group and monitoring for encroachment issues and local conditions outside the installation.
Dobbs completed a 3-year overseas assignment as a Senior Community Planner with Naval Facilities Engineering Command – Europe Africa Southwest Asia Headquarters, Asset Management Business Line, in Naples Italy beginning in August 2016. He led strategic planning across multiple locations throughout Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.
Responsible tasks included long-range master planning, coordination of strategic mission planning impacts outside the base, encroachment management, land use compatible review, project development programming, site approvals, space management, economic and life cycle costs analysis, real estate development, explosive safety, and real property management.
In April 2014, Dobbs accepted a position with the US Navy as a Community Planner with the Public Works Department – Asset Management Branch, NSA Crane. His responsibilities included leading the installation’s master planning efforts and authoring the 2015 INstallation Development plan update, as well as project development and programming for a diverse multiple working capital tenant installation.
Dobbs first entered federal service with the US Air Force in May 2010 with the 21st Civil Engineering Squadron, at Peterson Air Force Base as the Base Landscape Architect and Urban Planner. In his capacity at Peterson AFB, he administered the base’s community planning functions and landscape architecture program while having an integrated role in the asset management activities of the installation. He provided technical assistance and guidance in community planning landscape architecture, airfield/encroachment management, explosive safety, recreation planning, natural resource management, energy savings initiatives, project programming support and construction oversight.
From June 2005 to May 2010, Dobbs worked in the private sector as a Landscape Architect and Community Planner for a mid-size urban design and landscape architecture firm. Private portfolio of work raned from large scale residential and commercial development to complex urban redevelopment and data center projects for national clients.
Dobbs has received multiple letters of appreciation and achievement from the US Navy for duties while oversea as well as US Air Fore design awards for project design, sustainability, and construction achievement.
