Please help -- It's down to the wire

Jay, you need to demand that an economic impact study be done on your
airport. The average GA airport is worth around $20 million per year in
jobs, taxes, and "incidental revenue" (that's you). I'm the local AOPA
rep for our airport, and when I mailed that kind of data to our mayor,
the hue and cry for increased airport fees suddenly went away (our
airport is the only one in Connecticut that actually made a profit last
year). The city had NO IDEA that the airport had a monetary value. You
can also harp on the fact the airport is open space, that development
increases traffic, crime, pollution, etc., etc. Get interviewed by your
local newspaper. Most folks don't know GA from a hole in the ground, but
most of the general public is pro-GA, if it's presented in terms they
can grasp (personal freedom, reduction of housing development, more open
spaces, etc.) The squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you don't squeak,
kiss your airport good-bye.

Rip

Jay Honeck wrote:
Sorry for the cross-posting, Guys and Gals, but I'm appealing for your
help -- NOW.

Our City Council will be deciding THIS WEEK whether or not to put the
dissolution of our independent airport commission on the ballot this fall.
If this goes to the ballot, the damage done to our airport may be
irreversible.

The Issue
************************************************** ******
Our Airport Commission was set up after World War II specifically to
insulate the airport from the winds of politics. Our grandfathers knew that
one day our airport -- once so far from town -- would become surrounded by
development, and that airport land would be almost irresistible to
developers.

They knew that no future city council, during some future budget crunch,
would be able to resist a wealthy land developer's offer to buy that land.
Thus, they entrusted management of the airport to a band of volunteer,
unpaid commissioners, who were given the sole mission of running and
protecting the airport well and properly.

Our current city council, for a myriad of reasons, has decided that the
commission has outgrown its usefulness. Budgetary problems (the city's
annual subsidy has grown from $40K to $180K in the past decade), management
issues (previous commissions did not keep a tight lid on paperwork),
communication issues (the city manager doesn't get along with the airport
manager and some previous commissioners), and our newspaper's rabid
anti-airport slant have all conspired to make the airport a BIG issue in the
city government.

The Reasons Why We Oppose This Change in Governance
************************************************** ******
Now, of course, we all know it's not the money. Ankeny, Iowa, with it's
slightly smaller airport, happily spends over $300K per year subsidizing
their airport. Our $180K subsidy would not buy a single city bus, nor would
it fund our city manager's salary for even one year.

To put this in perspective, $180K is LESS than Iowa City spent last year on
"cemetery beautification" in fiscal 2003.

Further, our airport brings something over $5 million per year into the
local economy -- not a bad return on a $180K investment!

And we all know it's not an issue with the management of the airport. Our
airport remains the best G.A.airport in the Midwest, and everything is
running smoothly.

And it can no longer be a personal struggle between commissioners and the
city manager -- all of the current airport commissioners have come on board
in the last six months. The entire previous commission resigned, some for
personal reasons, others in frustration. And this new crop of
commissioners are the best I've ever seen, with representatives from every
walk of life -- including a couple of heavy hitters from the biggest show in
town, the University of Iowa.

So what is it? A power struggle, plain and simple. If the City Manager can
convince the City Council to go down this path (and he, as full-time city
manager, is the guy who truly controls our part-time Mayor and councilors),
he will have achieved control of the one area of city government that he
could not directly control.

And, if you follow the money, this change will set the city up to be in a
position to close and sell the airport land down the road. If I were a
betting man, I'd wager that there are already wealthy land developers
steering this debate, behind the scenes.

WE NEED YOUR HELP.
************************************************** ******
City Councilors aren't schooled in airport management, or the needs of the
pilot community -- they are being led down this path by a City Manager who
has convinced them that this referendum is for the "good of the city and the
airport." It is our job to show them the error of this logic, and the only
way to do this is with letters, emails and phone calls!

PLEASE don't wait, as time is extremely short. Send your emails opposing a
referendum for the dissolution of our independent airport commission to
. (These letters become part of the public record,
viewable by all, so please keep them clean, brief, and professional.
Please don't just forward this post to them, as the "delete" key is simply
too easy to use. We need many voices!)

The best approach is to keep it simple. Mention the reasons for the
commission's existence. Mention the money saved by having a volunteer
commission running the show, versus a paid staff of city employees. Perhaps
even mention the wealthy land developers who are salivating over the thought
of developing this land. (Iowa City is a very left-wing, liberal town.
Calling someone around here a "wealthy land developer" is tantamount to
calling them a cockroach...)

If you have the time, a phone call is even more effective. Here are the
phone numbers of the "swing voting" councilors:

Reginia Bailey 319-351-2068
Dee Vanderhoef 319-351-6872
Bob Elliott 319-351-4056
Connie Champion 319-337-6608

(I have omitted the city councilors who are already vocally supporting the
referendum.)

All we need is FOUR councilors on our side (and we think we've already got
2) to make this issue go away -- for now.

Thanks in advance.

Jay,

How much money has the airp[ort received in Grant Money over the last 20 years?

There are Grant Assurances that could give some headaches to those who want to
shut it down.

Like repaying them with interest!!

In article ,
(Larryskydives) wrote:

Jay,

How much money has the airp[ort received in Grant Money over the last 20
years?

There are Grant Assurances that could give some headaches to those who want
to
shut it down.

Like repaying them with interest!!


How about repaying the FAA ALL the proceeds from sale of the airport
land? This is the sword held over Santa Clara County (CA) when they were
trying to shut down Reid-Hillview Airport.

Was your airport turned over to the city as surplus WW-II property? If
so, there are all kinds of encumbrences on any sale of the property.

How much money has the airp[ort received in Grant Money over the last 20
years?

There are Grant Assurances that could give some headaches to those who
want to
shut it down.

Like repaying them with interest!!

While it is true, they cannot close the airport for 20 years after accepting
federal assistance -- and our airport HAS accepted millions in assistance --
there is nothing in the law that prevents them from simply starving the
airport to death.

This is what they are doing now. No money is being spent on taxiways or
hangar maintenance, and the list of problems continues to grow.

Sadly, killing the airport slowly is an easy option for the anti-airport
crowd.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Ya know Jay, I'm really getting tired of your whining.

WHINE: They aren't spending money on the airport

WHINE: They aren't listening to the Airport Commission

WHINE: They are thinking of shutting down the airport

WHINE: My business will be in the dumper if the airport is closed


And of course, YOU are FAR too busy to run for the City Council that sets these
whines. FAR too busy to take the time to be on the board that sets airport
policy.

I don't want to see it any more in RA*. You've had your rant. It is
yours...get off your butt and run for office or not, but don't give us any more
of your "please help" crap unless it is for campaign literature.

Jim

-This is what they are doing now. No money is being spent on taxiways or
-hangar maintenance, and the list of problems continues to grow.



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

In article ,
wrote:

Ya know Jay, I'm really getting tired of your whining.

tough.

running for office isn't the only solution.

--
Bob Noel

"Bob Noel" wrote
running for office isn't the only solution.

and it's not always the best solution. Just because you get
elected to a council, that includes 5-6 others by the way,
doesn't mean you'd get any further in accomplishing
anything. Now of course if you were elected to the position
of DICTATOR, yeah, you could actually make some
changes I guess. But 1 out of 7, occasionally speaking up
for a cause important to you? Just watch the other 6 ignore
you as they did when you were just a joe schmoe during
public invited to be heard. I've seen it in our council, or
even on CSPAN at the national level - some guy up there
making a case for something important to his constituents,
and maybe one other person in chambers half awake
listening, and no action or discussion taken on it at all.

My problem with running for our version of the airport
commission, or council - which I've been asked to run for
both, no way - is Id have to tone down what's worked
in the past. I don't have the city holding a lease over my
head, I don't have voters to answer to, I don't have other
commission members telling me not to rock the boat, it's
a pretty good feeling answering to no one and not letting
people influence or water down my opinions. You cant
say that doesn't happen to politicians at all levels. They
can say they aren't influenced by special interests or
whatever, but I'm not buying any of that. It's part of the
game. I'm not playing that game. If I'm going to be
elected or selected and put into a position where I'm
useless, I won't consider the nomination.

I don't consider asking for help whining. What Jay is
dealing with alot of us are dealing with, unfortunately,
more and more. If we lay back and let things go,
we all pay for it in the future. I see nothing wrong in
him asking what's worked or not worked in similar
situations. Getting your name on the list of council
members, while it may make you feel popular for
a little while, doesn't amount to jack squat.

Chris

WHINE: My business will be in the dumper if the airport is closed

Actually, the best thing that could possibly happen to my business (from a
financial standpoint) would be for the airport to close tomorrow. That land
would be MUCH more valuable to my business if they built restaurants and Wal
Marts there.

Fly-in pilots represent less than 5% of my business -- there simply aren't
enough of us to go around.

I'm not doing the aviation thing cuz it's profitable, Jim -- I'm doing it
because I love it.

And of course, YOU are FAR too busy to run for the City Council that sets
these
whines. FAR too busy to take the time to be on the board that sets
airport
policy.

Jim, I've been nominated (and ran) for the airport commission twice -- to no
avail. It was all a political joke.

Why? Because the City Council appoints the airport commissioners -- and
there ain't no way they will ever appoint a rabid airport supporter like me.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

So who "appoints" the Council members? The voters, that's who. You are a
young, dynamic, presentable person. Get your hiney out there and run for the
Council. Remember JC Superstar? "Understand what power is, understand what
glory is."

Jim



"Jay Honeck"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-Jim, I've been nominated (and ran) for the airport commission twice -- to no
-avail. It was all a political joke.
-
-Why? Because the City Council appoints the airport commissioners -- and
-there ain't no way they will ever appoint a rabid airport supporter like me.



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Jay Honeck wrote:
While it is true, they cannot close the airport for 20 years after accepting
federal assistance -- and our airport HAS accepted millions in assistance --
there is nothing in the law that prevents them from simply starving the
airport to death.
This is what they are doing now. No money is being spent on taxiways or
hangar maintenance, and the list of problems continues to grow.

This is basically what the Ocean City Council is doing to our airport.
They barely budget enough money to run the airport, and they complain
continuously about the money they do spend.

--- Jay



--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com