11/16/09 Davis Commentsa -A� capi
11-16-2009 City Council meeting, RE: Airport Introduce myself, name, quiet skies.
Taxpayers and Residents of Kalispell are not properly being represented by the
City in the matters of this airport.
We are told by the City Manager that the airport issue is not a time sensitive
action at a City Planning Board Meeting (she is correct) and there needs to be a
series of meetings and a lengthy process to go through to get Public information
for analyses, then we are told that the Mayor and the City Council wants to put to
vote a request for qualifications (a new E.A.) the following City Council Meeting,
that is tonight. And that the F.A.A. REQUIRES that Engineering Contracts and
Planning Services be re -bid every five years. I talked to Gray Gates of the F.A.A. in
Helena this morning and he said it's only a requirement if the City has asked for
Federal Funding. We have not asked for F.A.A. Federal funding as of yet, because
of radio station tower mitigation and Wise's and others property purchases has
not been completed. So you need to let the people and your staff know that this
is not a Requirement. What this is, is a request to put to vote to do another E.A.
as the one we did in 2002 has expired in 2005 as there's only a three year shelf
life to an E.A. if you have not asked for Federal funding and done requests for
Qualifications and updates in the five year period. And the City has not done this!
Now because you have failed to follow the requirement and rules you need to
bring it to the people first to enact such a costly pursuit of requesting a New
Environmental Assessment. The Mayor, and council members and the Staff need
to understand the rules. We will not stand by to let you sneak this through.
So to vote on a Selection of a consulting firm is premature and it is not in
immediate need of a vote until all the proper channels of such action have been
done. Mayor, Council members you are back to square one in wanting to expand
this airport in using F.A.A. funding. But first the people are telling you that they
want an economic analysis of what's the best use for this track of land, before you
pursue another expensive Environmental Assessment for F.A.A. funding to expand
the city airport. So table this request and pursue what the people are requesting
you to do and follow the rules.