CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN

CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN

Over the last ten years, it has become apparent that not all of our government officials listen to their constituents, and those not all public employees listen to the people that they are hired to serve.   I believe it is called public service, isn’t it?

One case stands out in particular.  Certain Government officials were called to do a safety inspection.  They stated that it would not be a problem.  Great, no problem, right; BUT, they had to drive about 45 miles to do the inspection.  They decided that they would fly out to do the inspection, (OK fine we will be here,) in a helicopter.  As it turned out one of the inspectors was afraid to fly in a helicopter, so they were going to go fixed wing, would be out before noon on Thursday.  It took a week for this to happen.  They show up at 3:00 pm, in a Beachcraft Barron, a 12 mile trip by air. 

  

Greeting were exchanged, business cards traded, hands were shaken, a walk around was performed, comments as to the safety issues were noted, solutions and remedies were discussed, and departure was executed.  A safety inspection report would be done by the end of next week.

NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN.  

Continuous phone calls endless voice mail went on for a week.  Not a word about the inspection report, no one knew a thing about it.  Finally, after a receptionist explained that the she did not know why the individual was not answering his phone, he was sitting right next to it at his desk.   Looked up this guys boss, he did answer the phone.  He explained that the safety inspection had been sent to the Kansas City Office, and was no longer available in the St Louis Office.   The Boss had a very “concerned” tone to his attitude, and made it very clear that this was the end of this issue.  

Called The Kansas City Office, they knew nothing about a safety inspection, did not know of one that was sent from St. Louis, did not know the person in St. Louis that could find it, NOTHING.  

Not too long after that, the condition that caused concern returned, and an aircraft incident happened.   An aircraft ended up inverted, and severely damaged due to the conditions that existed and warranted the complaint and inspection in the first place.   

So, due to the experience with the first situation, a discussion was held, and was concluded that the aircraft should be removed as quick as possible, and put out of sight were no one could see it, and not say a word to anyone.   As it turned out, that was the best action for everyone concerned. 

This was the first of many to follow experiences of dealing with a public servant. 

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOES TOUCH AND GO

The Missourian has reported that the city has completed another step toward closure.  The Missourian should check the facts. 

The Environmental Assessment is being revised based on the comments that have been received and there will be another public hearing on the EA.  The EA was not made available electronically before the first hearing, but will be available electronically before the second hearing.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The Indian tribes in Oklahoma have stated that they are not opposed to the closing of the airport.  I can now rest in peace knowing that someone two states away is not impacted by this action.  

What is hard to understand is that it is required to contact the Indians in Oklahoma, but no one was required to talk to the existing tenants of the airport!!  Kinda makes you wonder if anyone is actually steering this boat or it is just wandering aimlessly on its own. 

CLOSING COST

With the projected cost to the city to close the Airport now over $1,000,000, before the inflated airport cost by the city to operate the airport, you have to wonder about what is really happening.  Depending on the fair market value of the airport property, which is up to the FAA, cost could go much, much higher.  

If the airport cost the city $10,000 a year to operate, and there are 1500 households in the city, it would cost each household $6.66 a year.  The closing cost starting at $1,000,000, it is going to cost each house hold $666 dollars.  That is a 100 year payoff.

Let’s say for example the property is worth $20,000 per acre.  That would increase the cost per household to almost $1500, and would take 200 years to equal out. 

EA revisions

After The Environmental assessment for the airport will be revised based on the comments received to date.  the revisions there will be another comment period. 

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS

The Environmental Assessment draft is out for review.  In the beginning of this document is a statement explaining why the city needs to close the airport.  “Therefore, the city of St. Clair’s primary goal is to close the airport due to financial constraints.”   What happened to the “Chesterfield like shopping center?”  The document also goes on to say that, “the commercial development of the Proposed Action does not have an anticipated date.”

What  the city is saying here, we need to close the airport because it is costing us money.  The next question should be, Why is it costing the city money to operate the airport?  But of course the city will not say this, but the reason is because the city wants it to cost the city money to operate the airport.   Without this point closure does not make any sense.  

The tenants and the airport have been blamed for this, as if the airport was a living breathing entity that could operate by itself.   But in reality the city is responsible for this.  The city has with intent and purpose managed this airport into financial ruin to pursue a closure.   

When you look at the numbers, the money spent on this, which is over 1 million dollars, yes that is 1,000,000 as compared to the cost of keeping it open at $10,000 per year, and share this over the cost to the taxpayers, it would take over 100 years for this to pay off.  Even if you double the cost to the city to operate the airport to $20,000 it would still take over 50 years to payoff.