Why is _base_dir global?

[andylytical]

In configure_workflows.py,

• _base_dir is global, but probably doesn't need to be.
• getBaseDir() does an unnecessary test for "is None". Either remove the test or fix the function to do something useful
• Overall, can probably create a module-level dictionary of values and re-write the getter/setter for _base_dir

[andylytical]

Searched for '_base_dir' and it is literally only found on in the file noted above and only at the getter & setter functions.

Seems safe to replace with the suggestions above.

[andylytical]

Can probably remove the cmdline option '--basedir' also