Dear Editor,
The recent action of the Ravalli County Commissioners whereby they voted as a block to rescind or nullify resolution #1244 opened the door for them to replace an approved plan for constructing a new 4200 foot runway at the Ravalli County Airport. What resolution #1244 guaranteed was this: If improvements at the airport entailed a runway longer than 4200 feet in length, Resolution #1244 would require the Commissioners to place that very issue before the voters for them to either vote for or against a runway longer than 4200 feet in length,
Some ten years ago the County Commissioners in office at that time in response to a Public Petition garnered some 7000 signatures of county voters to abolish an Airport Authority because that Airport Authority had powers unto and for itself to act without any further oversight, period. County Commissioners delegated complete power to that Airport Authority whose members were not elected but appointed.
That Board was well on the way to enacting an agenda of airport expansion including the power to enact an additional property tax to pay for it. Due to considerable opposition that did not agree with the agenda being proposed by this board, some citizens came together and formed what was named ICAARE. ICAARE stands for “Informed Citizens Against Airport Runway Expansion”. Participation in ICAARE was completely voluntary and its expenses were paid for by donations without any tax deduction benefit. Because of the successful petition drive to have a public vote on any airport expansion, the County Commissioners felt it was only fair to recognize that 7000 plus signatures was a serious number of voters and they then enacted into Resolution #1244 a recognition that the public should have the ultimate decision at the ballot box as to whether or not this county would allow a longer runway to be built.
Fast forward to 2010 and the County Commissioners approved a plan known as 2A which kept the runway at 4200 feet in length and met every safety requirement as set forth in Federal Aviation Administration rules. In other words this plan 2Afully meets the strict requirements for aviation safety. As a requirement contained in the FAA approval, conditions are such that if in the future a longer runway should be required, it provides conditions to do so.
The current Board of County Commissioners want to junk an already approved plan and move to Alternative 3A which is a 5200 feet runway. This plan requires a completely new Environmental Assessment and perhaps an Environmental Impact Statement. The present slate of Commissioners do not know who would have to pay for these additional studies to go for 3A nor do they have any estimate as to its cost.
The Board of Ravalli County Commissioners believe they have a mandate to do whatever they want because they were elected. The way they have accomplished to do what they want is to abolish the right to vote on a contentious issue. How did they accomplish the abolishment
of the right to vote? They revoked an agreement reached by the County Commissioners back in 2002 or 2003, by amending the whole Resolution of #1244.
This is a terribly bothersome and dangerous path to follow by any government elected body.
I want to extend my respect to Mr. Greg Chilcott when he openly stated in the public hearing that legislatively revoking the right to vote bothered him. I have no quarrel at all with Ms. Suzy Foss, J. R. Iman, Mr. Ron Stoltz, and Mr. Kanenwisher that they were elected to govern and run the county. But there are millions of Americans who feel pretty strongly about VOTING. I seriously doubt that a majority of Ravalli County citizens want a right to vote taken away from them, no matter how they feel about the issue, whether they would vote or not. Most of us want that right. It has been taken away on this issue. Also, this was an agreement by a previous Board of Commissioners and the citizens of the county. There were two parties to that agreement on the vote. The County Commissioners in office at that time and the citizens of the county. This current crop of Commissioners by their actions send the message that the citizens don’t count.
I believe that the Montana Attorney General should be involved in this question:
Does Montana law prohibit any type of elected governing body provided the power to circumvent or repeal the right to vote on any issue, specifically or generally given or agreed to by that same governing body or any other elected governing body?
In my opinion, this is not really about the Airport. This is about the right to vote. Once given it should not be taken away.
D. David Hardy
Hamilton