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CommentsAs a South Kalispell businessman I don't have the time to come down to these City Council proceedings every week or so. I have a business to run and I work long hours. Truthfully, that is why you are elected, to represent the Cities best interest. Now, when I sit home at night watching these proceedings on television I have to ask myself this question. Do some of you really understand the value of an asset of this City. The Kalispell City airport generates a huge amount of activity in a lot of businesses in the southern end of the city. People who fly into our airport use our motels, eat in our restaurants, buy supplies in our stores, buy fuel for their airplanes, and sometimes buy real estate in our markets. Some pilots build hangars, pay tie -down fees, pay property taxes on the hangars and airplanes. And just how much does the City of Kalispell now pay to maintain the airport. Zero, it is an enterprise fund that is maintained by user fees just like Buffalo Hills Gold course golfers pay to play that course. What really gripes me is that one or two of you council members want to spend thousands of dollars for an economic impact study to show you, not us, what we already know. The airport generates into the millions of dollars in our community. The majority of you council members understand that, but for the couple that don't, I would suggest you get out into the business world and ask the Chamber of Commerce, the bankers, the motels and yes, even some car dealers and machinery dealers if they think the airport is an important asset to this community. I saw your airport manager show you studies after *vr,?jry+rt Ve--,:nygr"ed-4 )wAter staniar4,s-at-?-m-inLrtal cint-W-AP, taxpayers. If you didn't get that message from him and the majority of the Council, I suggest you do your homework, not just order another, expensive study. Why, every time we get a new City Council member, do we have to train them on how the economics of the City works. Case in point, the Councilman from Ward IV does n] seem to understand the value of our airport to the City of Kalispell. He wants to spend to $ 10,000 to do an economic impact study to determine a basic fact, airports provide a viable service to any community, large or small. Even when his fellow council member told him that they have already gone through this exercise and approved the proposed expansion project for the airport, he still insists that he doesn't believe what they are telling him. Well, I say if you need to be educated on the subject, why don't you contact some of the businesses on or near the airport, or maybe the Chamber of Commerce or the Montana State Aeronautics, or some local bankers about the value of the airport. Don't just sit there and spend our hard earned money on another study to show us what we already know. I heard this council member say that he didn't have enough knowledge to make a decision on the viability of the airport. That might be true and if it is then he should abstain and move on or make a motion to spend the dollars and let the knowledgeable ones vote it down and move on. We get tired of hearing about a council member who doesn't understand, figure it out that's why you wanted the job, right. Why, every time we get a new City Council member, do we have to train them on how economies work. Case in point, Councilman Kluesner does not understand the value of an airport in your community. He wants the City to spend up to $ 10,000 to do an economic impact study to determine a basic fact, airports provide a viable service to any community, large or small. If he needs education on the subject, why hasn't he contacted the Chamber of Commerce, the Montana State Aeronautics, the local bankers and businessmen who use the airpoM or even talked to the businesses on the airport. Is it thai he is just to lazy to get the facts before he makes a decision. s y to spend the money to bring him up to speed with the rest of the Council. If it p he gets to spend the money for the study, if it fails, he can hit the books for himself or shut up. If you can't figure that out, then maybe you. should not be on the decision making end of the business. As a Kalispell businessman, I cannot understand why any member of the City Council does n understand that an airport is a valuable asset to a community. The ripple economic effect of people coming into a city on business or pleasure is an elementary concept. Why then does Councilman Kluesner keep insisting on an expensive ($10,000) economic impact study to determm*j a basic fact —that airoorts Drovide a valuable service to anv co lar I Other members of the Council have stated that they have studied the situation and have found the airport to be a viable asset for the City to maintain and upgrade. He made a comment that he didn't have the necessary knowledge to make that decision. Well, whose fault is that? Either he should ask the rest of the Council to okay spending the $10,000 to bring him up to speed with then-4 or get the information from his constituents and save taxpayers from funding another unnecessary study. Why do ,:vet spend taxpayer funds to educate one or maybe two City Council members that can't seem to understand an issue. From what I have seen, Councilman Klv.p.s,,-.er is aatt!gh ttr m&e 9 decissi*x AAwt viketker--ve-sh*uM %,?Ae an airport in our community. He doesn't believe the other Council members when they say that they believe in the airport's value to the community. He wants to be shown personally. Well, I say that if he needs an education in any subject before the council, he needs to research it himself and not spend taxpayers time and money to get educated on the subject. He should be asking the right people, not just saying he doesn't have enough information to make a decision on the matter. I don't think it is the taxpayers responsibility to educate one council member. Take some of those big bucks we pay you and get educated or move on. This is not supposed to be on -the -job -training. Councilman Saverud is also new on the Council, but he gets it, is that because he is a businessman and understands the value of a City asset, where Mr. Kluesner doesn't.