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| Elected figure disputes airstrip |
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| News - Linn County News | |||
| Written by Chase Jordan | |||
| Wednesday, 17 December 2008 08:00 | |||
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A newly elected commissioner stated her case opposing the proposed airstrip near Pleasanton after presenting facts about other airports. Vicki Leonard presented airstrip maintenance information to Linn County Commissioners during a Monday meeting. In her report, she discussed airstrips in Nevada, Mo., and Bourbon County, Kan. According to her presentation, between $1 million and $2.5 million in extra funds is needed for airport maintenance. “If you look at the Bourbon County budget, you will notice that they have smaller budgets in many of their departments in comparison to Linn County,” Leonard said. “Could it be for this type of project? Are we willing to sacrifice what we now budget for road and bridges, sheriff’s department, rural fire, economic development, planning and zoning, etc., to maintain an airstrip?” In her report, after contacting Bourbon County Airport Manager Kenny Howard, Leonard said the county’s airstrip expenditures do not include the cost of infrastructure needed, including lights, an office building, sewer and the airstrip manager’s salary. Leonard also had a concern about layoffs and services being cut for airport maintenance. Nevada, Mo., Airport Manager Jody Bryson said runway end indicator lights are problems for residents, because they continually flash at night. The lights are large lights on the ends of runways. Bryson also said precision approach path indicators are costly to run. Leonard mentioned the city could not afford a fencing project to stop problems of deer on the runway. “He (Bryson) said they built their strip many years ago to accommodate one of the bank’s CEOs, and now that bank is no longer there,” Leonard said. “He said that if we do not have enough industry and business to pay the taxes on this project that it would be extremely costly to the county and to the city of Pleasanton.” Ed Young, director of aviation for the Kansas Department of Transportation, said the department works with about 240 projects. He talked about the REILs and PAPIs mentioned by Leonard. “The reason that PAPIs run during the daytime is because the planes are landing,” Young said. “There are pilot-controlled mechanisms in the REILs. I would be very surprised if you need REILs at your airport at this point.” She asked that the commissioners take in consideration the taxpayers opposed to the airport and the information she presented. “We need to base this decision on facts, not a field of dreams. “Are you willing to place this tremendous burden on our county?” Leonard asked. “The decision is going to be put on you, and the blame is going to be put on you.”
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