CAA: GA News, "Montana's Red Lodge airport plan advances"

["Stephen Irwin" <Stephen.Irwin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wednesday, August 9, 2000

Red Lodge airport plan advances
By DAN BURKHART
Billings (MT) Gazette


RED LODGE – The city council sputtered ahead with consideration for a new $5
million airport Tuesday night, voting to complete the last phase of a
four-part study to help the city decide if it needs or wants one.

The city contracted with Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson, engineering and surveying
consultants, to conduct a four-phase study at a cost of $140,000. The FAA is
funding 90 percent of the study costs. Red Lodge’s share of the cost is
between $12,000 and $14,000.

The Federal Aviation Administration would fund 90 percent of the costs to
build a new airport. The city hopes a state grant from the Montana
Aeronautics Association would pay an additional 5 percent of the new airport
costs.

The final phase of the study will provide a detailed financial analysis and
comes on the heels of completing a site selection. The selected site would
locate a new airport on the west bench about 3-1/2 miles north of the city.
The current Red Lodge airport is on the west bench above the city and has a
4,000-foot long asphalt runway. A new airport would feature a 5,000
foot-long concrete runway.

Council members Tera Reynolds, Gloria Mayhan, Richard Gessling and Craig
Beam supported the motion to complete the study, while Charlie Brandine and
Ann Rood voted against the motion.

Mayor Brian Roat also expressed his view that the study should be completed.

Opposition to the airport study has focused on several issues. Opponents
question the reliability of the study information, the costs to taxpayers
and fear violation of private property with flight patterns and accessory
roads. They argue a new airport will benefit only a small number of pilots,
many who are not city or county residents.

“The whole thing just doesn’t add up,” rancher Beverly Draper said. Draper
accused the council of ignoring landowners who have worried for two years
over where the airport will be, what it will cost and why the present
airport needs to be replaced.

The Carbon County Resource Council, an affiliate of Northern Plains Resource
Council, has also had questions about the study and the need for a new
airport. But CCRC co-chairman Dan Dutton said the group mainly wants the
council to let city and county residents vote on the issue when the study is
completed.

Council members who voted to proceed with the study said they did not hear
overwhelming opposition from their constituents to completing the study.

“Go with the study,” Reynolds said she was told by her constituents. “Find
the exact information about where it’s going to be and what it's going to
cost.”

Proponents of a new airport insist the city and county will not have to
subsidize a new airport. They say proceeds from selling city land where the
present airport is located, as well as economic development of other city
land near it will more than offset the costs not covered by the FAA. They
add that a large portion of maintenance costs would also be covered under
FAA funding.

Those favoring the new airport also say the site selected will not involve
condemning land since two landowners where it will be located have indicated
they are willing sellers.

But landowner Ron Luoma, who said a corner of his property is involved in a
crosswind runway – a secondary runway that crosses the proposed new runway –
insisted the council is ignoring critical details. He told council members
he will not allow surveyors on his property.

“I’ll have the sheriff arrest them if they’re on my land,” he vowed.


   Post your opinion on this story in the CAA General Aviation Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID2

*****************************************