City OKs longer runway
Sarah Day — Staff WriterBLUE EARTH - The 4,600-foot expansion of the Blue Earth airport will take off, after a narrow vote in favor.
The City Council on Monday gave the public one last chance to voice opinions on the $6.2 million project, which will be funded 95 percent by state and federal aid.
Bolton & Menk engineer Ron Roetzel reviewed the plans. He acknowledged that operations have been down since 2007. A takeoff and a landing each count as an operation per Federal Aviation Administra-tion guidelines.
Projec-tions for 2009 stand at 58. If Bevcomm moves its airplane from Fairmont to Blue Earth, by 2014 operations could be around 440. But Bevcomm will only move its operations to Blue Earth if the runway is extended and heated hangars are built.
Roetzel reviewed three options the council has been considering - reconstructing the runway and improving only necessary items for $4.1 million; extending the runway to 4,000 feet for $5.7 million; or going with the full expansion for $6.2 million.
For the city, the difference between the expansion and reconstruction is $84,500, with the mid-point option difference $21,250.
About 20 people attended Monday's meeting, including five of seven airport committee members and several township board members.
Rodney Anderson, neighbor to the airport, again expressed concerns about the expansion. Anderson operates a feedlot next to the airport, and the expansion means 80th Street will close, making it more difficult for him to operate.
He counted his "operations" the way the airport does - noting how many semis and other work vehicles go in and out of his farm per year. He said the number totaled 910.
He added that closure of 80th Street would force him to direct large vehicles on roads north and south that are not in good condition.
"That road's traveled," he said. "I would bet there's more traffic on that road than there is on your airport runway. You're only averaging about one aircraft a day on there. I've been keeping track for about three months. I just don't see how you can go to 4,600 feet with that kind of traffic."
Anderson said he would support the project if Fairmont's larger airport were not so close and if Blue Earth had more air traffic.
Carrie Meyer of Blue Earth agreed. She couldn't see why the city is going to spend more than $6 million to have one more business use the airport. Her husband, Gary Meyer, asked if they had an agreement with Bevcomm.
City Administrator Kathy Bailey said the project is not for one business. She said Blue Earth does not have a commitment with Bevcomm, nor with other businesses that fly but don't use city's airport.
Councilman Les Wiborg had issues with Bevcomm's projections. He said the company has had 16 operations out of Fairmont this year.
Others said that given budget cuts, including reductions in police officers, the council should not expand the airport now.
Councilman Dan Brod opposed the extension, but was in favor of reconstruction.
"We can certainly build it for what it's going to be used for," he said. "This is an agriculture community, and that's pretty much what I think it will always be. ... My feeling is, let's repair and take care of what we own."
Councilman Dick Maher was in favor of the expansion.
"For everything that takes place, as a rule, there always will be and always has been some negative aspects," he said. "... It isn't so much as bringing in one new business, but keeping our community as strong as we can. We built a new high school building, not necessarily to have 1,000 new students. ... I think in order to keep our community strong, we need to do these things. Maybe we're wrong, but to sit back and do nothing would be a mistake."
Councilman John Huisman said the City Council should not be like the government in Washington, D.C.
"There's not a councilman sitting here, including myself, that has not complained about our elected officials because they're not listening to us as citizens and they're spending money that we don't have," he said. "My question is, are we any better?"
Huisman was contacted by many constituents about the airport, and he contacted more.
"This is not an official survey, but it does reflect the views of the citizens," he said. "... It's running six or seven to one against the expansion. That's representative government if we listen to them, isn't it?"
Councilman Rick Scholtes was in favor, saying the difference between the 4,600-foot expansion and 4,000 is only $21,000, or less than $100,000 from 3,400 feet.
"My decision is being based on, there are a lot of things in the community not everybody uses," he said. "We built a new fire hall and less than 5 percent of the people are ever going to need it. The economic impact (of the expansion) isn't very much."
Huisman questioned whether Mayor Rob Hammond and Scholtes should vote since both are employees of Bevcomm.
City Attorney David Frundt said the two could vote because neither will have direct or indirect financial gain from the airport expansion.
The final vote was 4-3, with Glenn Gaylord, Maher, Scholtes and Hammond in favor of the 4,600-foot expansion. Brod, Wiborg and Huisman dissented.
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imaconservative
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10-28-09 5:27 PM
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Apparently, most of the authors who posted on this topic don't understand that the city of Blue Earth won't be spending $6.2M. The city will only be spending 5% of $6.2M or $310K. Furthermore, the grant money can't be used for anything other than airport improvements. Do you really think the FAA would extend grants for any other purpose? To suggest that the money could be used for street repair is ridiculous. It also doesn't sound like Mr. & Mrs. Meyer have a very good grasp on the issue either. Bevcomm has not made any "clandestine" agreements to move their plane to BE if the runway is expanded. Anyone who suggests otherwise doesn't know Neil Eckles. A life-long resident, he's never done anything that wasn't in the best interests of BE and if Bevcomm benefits from the expansion, so be it. What's good for BE is good for Bevcomm. If you can't support progress, don't complain about having to travel 30-50 miles to find employment. The jail? That's a different st
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Hazzardcounty
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10-27-09 5:45 PM
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Blue Earth has an airport?
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blue5011
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10-27-09 12:48 PM
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That twelve extra minutes spent in a car traveling from Fairmont to Blue Earth can surely be justified somewhere. I do not want to hear folks in Blue Earth whining when their streets will not be fixed cause they spent money on an airport runway.
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blue329
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10-27-09 10:45 AM
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Blue Earth seems to have a inferiority complex when it comes to Fairmont. There are most definetly some services we shoulds be sharing with Fairmont instead of competing with them.
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blue5011
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10-27-09 10:09 AM
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Yeah, it is "only" the federal government that is spending money? Will the city build Bevcomm a heated hanger too? How about a motel/ office complex out in the corn fields? That way it would be one better than Fairmont!
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blue329
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10-27-09 6:28 AM
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Now Blue Earth voters can see who they should not not vote for again in the next election. Maybe then our elected City Council will represet the voters. How much will Bevcomm use use the airport? Looks like someone is lying and intentionally misleading the public. I want proof someone will use the airport 440 times in 2014. The projec-tions for 2009 stand at 58.
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onlyinblueearth
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10-27-09 2:00 AM
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This is a bunch of crap. There are plenty of other things that 6.2 millon could be used for in B.E. If the airport needs repair it should just be closed. Fairmont has one we don't need it. How much money does the aiport bring in. Not a good investment
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