The Ravalli County Airport is suffering from the same growing pains as many of the county’s other institutions and facilities: it can no longer safely and efficiently handle its customers. It needs to be brought into compliance with Federal Aviation Administration safety standards and it needs to be revamped to accommodate current users and the expected growth in coming decades.

Currently, the county commissioners are considering an Environmental Assessment (EA) that reviews the impacts of four potential alternatives for addressing these issues. This document is the latest step in a nearly 15-year-long effort to address the necessary safety upgrades and to make room for the projected growth.

In November 2001, after years of study and debate, the county commissioners decided that the best option for meeting these needs was to build a new runway 400 feet east and 600 feet north of the current runway. The expectation was that this would not only bring the airport into compliance with safety standards but would provide the most room for growth in airfield facilities and revenue-generating opportunities.

The purpose of the EA was to determine what impacts these improvements would have on the local environment and to consider whether another alternative could better meet the airport’s needs. After six years of study and multiple reviews by local and federal officials, the EA determined that the Preferred Alternative, chosen in 2001, was still the best alternative to meet all these needs.

During the review process, there was only one addition made to the study: lengthening the runway from 4,200 feet to 5,200 feet. This was done to enhance safety margins for all aircraft. At 4,200 feet, our airport can safely accommodate approximately 75 percent of the small general aviation fleet (10 passengers or less). By adding just 1,000 feet, we can insure that 100 percent of the small aircraft using our runway today will have adequate runway to depart and land safely at our airport.

The Airport Advisory Board has recommended that the commissioners approve the Preferred Alternative 4. It will bring the airport into compliance with safety standards at no cost to local taxpayers. By moving the runway north and east away from residential neighborhoods, it will enhance safety for nearby residents while reducing noise and other impacts. It will allow airport revenues to grow along with any growth in use providing operating revenues for the airport plus tax revenues to the county fund. And, it will insure that this valuable community asset remains viable for decades to come.

The cost for these improvements is estimated to be $17.1 million over the next 22 years. The FAA will provide 95 percent ($16,245,000) of the funding through its Airport Improvement Project (AIP) grant program. This money is generated from airline ticket taxes and aviation fuel taxes. Of the remaining 5 %, ($855,000) approximately half could come from state aeronautics grants and low-interest loans, while the rest – or just 2-1/2 cents on the dollar ($427,5000) – would be the responsibility of Ravalli County. A local foundation has committed to raising the local match of $427,000 so the cost to Ravalli County tax payers would be zero.

The other alternatives in the EA include: Alternative1: Do nothing, which does not address the problems. Alternative 2: Build a new runway 5200 feet long, 80 feet east and 600 feet north of the current runway which meets the FAA’s minimum separation requirement between the runway and taxiway but does not address ramp safety or the future growth issues. Alternative 3: Build a new runway 5200 feet long, 240 feet east and 600 feet north of the current runway meets all the requirements for runway length and runway/taxiway separation but does not provide all the space needed to meet neither the ramp safety issues of overcrowding nor the growth projections for the entire 20-year planning period. Alternative 4: Moving the runway 400 feet east, 600 feet north, and lengthen the runway to 5200 feet would meet the FAA Design Safety Standard for those aircraft currently using or projected to use the Ravalli County Airport for the next 20 years. In all the alternatives the weight bearing limits are 17,500 lbs for single wheel main gear and 25,000 lbs for dual wheel aircraft. These weight limits have existed since 1964 when this runway was paved and will not change. The argument we will have bigger, heavier, faster, or noisier aircraft is false.

Alternative 2 has been touted by some as the least expensive and most “cost effective,” but in reality, it is the least efficient use of funds. It will result in significant economic losses to the county and local businesses because it requires closing the airport for three to six months during construction. All the aviation businesses at the airport will be forced to close, all airplanes based there will have to move, and air ambulances and fire fighting airplanes will be unable to access our airport during the busiest months of the year. Airport revenues will disappear, not only for the businesses at the airport but for the county as well. No planes flying, no fuel flowing, no revenues to the airport budget. It addition, this alternative would require tearing out a perfectly good runway that could be used as a taxi way and building a new runway 80 feet east of the runway just removed. Does that make sense?

Furthermore, the FAA will not provide funds for this alternative, meaning the $3.2 million cost of constructing a new runway would fall on local taxpayers. Future funding from the FAA would be jeopardized as well. Since 2001, FAA funding to our airport for airport improvements has averaged about $375,000 per year. Without those funds, some future maintenance costs and all airport improvement projects would fall on Ravalli County and local taxpayers would likely see something they do not see now - an assessment for the airport on their annual tax bill.

Alternative 3 (approximate cost is $16,600,000) meets the necessary runway length and separation safety standards but does not provide optimum use of ramp space to enhance ramp safety or room for growth in airfield facilities and revenue-generating opportunities to keep the airport self-sufficient. If the Hamilton airport continues to grow at the pace it has in the last decade, more room for hangars, safe operating ramps and safe parking aprons will be needed than this alternative provides. The local foundation will not fund this alternative so the cost to the county (Ravalli County Tax Payers) would be approximately $415,000.

The Preferred Alternative 4 provides the safest airport with the greatest benefits to the airport’s users and owners and to the citizens of Ravalli County. It meets the design safety standards for 100% of the aircraft using Ravalli County Airport today and for the next 20 years plus provides the most flexibility to meet the current and future needs of a growing airport while maximizing the opportunities for generating revenues for the county.

The Ravalli County Airport is an important part of the economic and transportation infrastructure of our community. The runway was extended to 4200 feet in 1949 and has been at its current length for the last 60 years. It is time this airport meets the FAA Designed Safety Standards for those aircraft using our airport today. What would Highway 93 be like today without improvements over the last 60 years? Just as Highway 93 needed to be widened to handle additional traffic from a growing population, our airport needs to accommodate growth and provide a safer operating environment for everyone.

For the “What’s in it for me” people:

Quick response to fight forest fires by Single Engine Air Tankers (SEAT) reducing air pollution. (80% of the pollution in Ravalli County is cause by wood smoke). Our 4200-foot runway does not meet the design safety standards of SEAT aircraft.

The possibility of being flown to a hospital by air ambulance.

An economic study just completed by Wilber Smith, Inc reveals Ravalli County Airport contributes over $14,000,000 in economic benefit to the county.

Think about what another $17,000,000 injected into the county could do for the businesses of Ravalli County, the unemployed, and for the people economically challenged.

Attracting new small businesses to increase employment for the well being of the county.

Letters to the Editor

The 61st Legislature – Week 12

Dear Editor,

THE STIMULUS PACKAGE

The big news last week was the Montana stimulus bill. It was House Bill 645, and it came up for a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday.

Many of us have grave misgivings about the federal government's stimulus package. It's too much government spending, and too much debt for our children and grandchildren. It is not “living within our means”, as the Montana budget is.

The Americorps volunteer program is getting $500,000. How does a volunteer program create paying jobs? Culbertson and Malta are getting $225,900 each to build female latrines at their national guard armory. I will be the first to admit that those will create some construction jobs while they're being built. What happens after the building is done, though? Once the construction is over, how does a restroom create jobs? When our grandchildren are paying the debt for this, will they get anything out of it? Unfortunately, those are Federal projects which we had no control over. They are part of the package.

Of the discretionary money $10 million was distributed to counties by a formula based on gas tax distribution and population. Ravalli county will get $297, 867 for Ambrose Creek Rd reconstruction.

This project was chosen because it is “shovel ready” and is on a previous list of long range projects.

Another $10 million was allocated to cities. In Ravalli county Darby will get $20 thousand for a water improvement project, Hamilton will get $87 thousand for 10th St. reconstruction, Pinesdale will get $21 thousand for capital improvements, and Stevensville will get $38 thousand for repairs on the Town Hall Complex.

Since the federal government sent the money, Montana should at least have spent it on projects that would still be creating jobs even three years down the line.

OVERSIGHT COMMISSION

At the very least, Montana needs a stimulus oversight commission. While all these federal dollars are being spent, we need to make absolutely certain it's being spent in a legitimate way. The only way to be certain of that is to have an oversight commission that includes members of the public. Government must be accountable to the people.

Fortunately, there's a bill moving through the process that would accomplish exactly that. Senator Bob Story, President of the Senate, has introduced a bill to create a stimulus oversight commission. Known as Senate Bill 460, it passed the Senate and is now in the House. Currently the Appropriations committee is studying it.

DOUBLE TAXATION

The federal stimulus wasn't the only business the House worked on this week. A few weeks ago, I wrote about “blast” motions which move a bill from committee where they are stalled, to the House floor for a vote. I'm happy to report that we had a successful “blast” last Saturday. The bill is HB 187 sponsored by Janna Taylor (R-Dayton), and I am a cosponsor.

Right now, if you buy a used car, that car is taxed twice. The first time, when the old owner pays the registration fees for the year. The second time is when you have to pay the registration fees again within a month after buying it.

That's just not right. In these challenging economic times, more and more Montanans are buying used cars. And for the government to make them pay extra taxes is a drag on our economy.

HB 187 fixes this problem. The bill says the state can only collect the registration fees once each year, regardless of the number of owners. It was stalled in the House Appropriations Committee on a tie vote, 10 Republicans for, 10 Democrats against. It was “blasted” to the floor and will be heard Monday. Look for those results in my next column.

I am also pleased to report that HB 615, the online Vehicle Insurance Verification System bill, which I sponsored, passed the House on Saturday and has gone to the Senate. More Later.

Individual bills can be tracked and committee hearing schedules can be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.leg.mt.gov" www.leg.mt.gov. I believe that we in the legislature must be accountable to the people, and that means providing as much information as possible. You can call a legislator by dialing 444-4800, and leaving a message.

Gary MacLaren
Representative HD 89

Request for inquiry into FAA agenda

Dear Editor,

Open Letter to Montana Congressional Delegation:

The Ravalli County Airport located just outside the city limits of Hamilton needs to have its runways improved so as to meet the safety criteria of the FAA. The FAA has been involved politically in pushing for runway lengthening to 5300 feet from 4200 feet. The airport at Polson is 4200 feet in length and serves about the same population and is about the same distance from larger airports, namely Missoula and Kalispell. Another solution is available at a whale of a lot less money, and satisfies safety requirements of the FAA. This solution cannot be addressed without the FAA “going public.” I feel that the tax paying public is entitled to answers to the following questions by the FAA and in writing.

1. Will funding be available to fund runway improvements without lengthening runways?

2. Will funding be available for future maintenance as necessary to maintain the airport’s viability?

3. Why is a 400-foot separation recommended for a small airport when that kind of runway separation qualifies the largest planes that fly to land?

4. Can a 4200-foot runway meet the FAA safety criteria for airports of this size? If not, why not? Explain why Polson is different with a 4200-foot runway than Ravalli County would be with this same length runway.

Estimates of remodeling the airport without lengthening runways is around $3,500,000. Estimated costs to redo the airport with lengthening the runways is in the area of $16,000,000. This is primarily because of land acquisition and more ancillary expense involved. This is four times the amount of money necessary to bring this airport into compliance with FAA requirements.

I am requesting your assistance in forcing the FAA – through the Helena FAA office and perhaps the Seattle Regional office – to give the Ravalli County citizens some straight answers to the above questions and not in the context of a moving target couched in bureaucratic mumbo jumbo. If you need additional information I can furnish a history from 1977 forward, which is supportive of an FAA agenda in regard to this airport. If any one of you would have time to look into this, I would appreciate it, and I certainly am not asking each of you separately to ask that answers be given by the FAA. In other words, a consensus inquiry.

Dale D. (Dave) Hardy
Hamilton

Treated poorly by local business owner

Dear Editor,

I would like to express my experience with KG Express Lube. I was given a quote by an employee for a radiator flush with up to 10 quarts of coolant for $55. I verified the quote on the morning of March 26th, and asked if the quote was accurate regarding overall price. He said yes.

At completion of service on March 27th, I was billed $82. I questioned that amount, speaking with Don, the owner. He said he would honor the quote. I said I would pay the $82, so that there were no hard feelings.

He said sternly that he was going to have hard feelings if I didn’t drop the issue.

I thanked him for his services and commended his employees on their work. I have always been satisfied with their service in the past. Don followed me to my truck and asked me if everything was alright.

“I’m fine,” I said. “How about yourself?”

He told me, “Don’t ever come back. You are a liar and you know you are a liar.” He said his employee knows the pricing.

I asked him to speak civilly. Just five minutes before he said things were okay. Now he was calling me a liar.

I am so sadly disappointed with him as a business owner. He never once gave me the benefit of the doubt on the original quoted amount. He would not take the time, when asked, to consult with the employee.

I feel I’m owed a formal apology. A phone call won’t do.

Again, I do thank him for his past service.

David Gerber
Stevensville

Baucus and his ilk represent what's wrong in D.C.

Dear Editor,

Everyone these days has an opinion about what should be done to fix our failing economy and the system that has allowed greedy, self centered people to prosper. The thing is, normal people don't get to vote on Capital Hill, our elected officials do.

Recently, Senator Max Baucus, who is the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, voiced his anger about AIG employees receiving $165 million after the company was bailed out by the American taxpayer. Max's pretend anger was on display as he said, "This is completely ludicrous." No Max, what is completely ludicrous is you thinking that Montanans are really buying your acting. Were you really "mad" when you took $91,000 in campaign contributions from AIG employees and their political action committees? If you are really "mad" Max, and want to fix the problem, then start by giving back the $91,000 and stop spending this country into oblivion.

The facts are simple. If anything is ever going to change in D.C., people like Max Baucus and his friends Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid need to be sent packing.

In the meantime Max needs to take acting lessons.

Scott Burlingham
Hamilton

Get airport expansion right this time

Dear Editor,

In 1963 with 8 airplanes based at the Ravalli County Airport, the runway was paved in its current location with its current dimensions of 75’ wide and 4200’ long. Ten years later in 1973, an Airport Master Plan was being engineered and when completed in 1974, there were 38 airplanes based at the airport. That Master Plan dated July 1974, recommends alternative 8 which states,

“Purchase 33 acres immediately (by 1976), lease land back to farmer; extend runway and taxiway by 600 feet in 1976 and 400 feet in 1985. This alternative incorporates the advantage of immediate clear zone protection with upgrading the airport immediately to full Basic Utility II standards while still providing for the ultimate 5200 feet length requirement. Because this alternative would correct the sub-standard condition of the airport without the 10-year delay built in the other alternatives, it is selected as the recommendation for this master plan.”

Thirty-five (35) years later with 120 airplanes based at the airport plus transient jet traffic that was basically non-existent in 1974, the Commissioners are looking at the same recommendation to extend the runway to 5200 feet, plus relocate 400 feet to the east. If the local government had followed the FAA and engineers’ advice 35 years ago, we wouldn’t be dealing with these issues today. If the recommendations were needed then, it would certainly seem that the same recommendations would be needed now more than ever! It’s time to face this safety problem so that in 10 or 20 years, people aren’t looking back at 2009 in amazement, failing to understand how the situation could be put off for the next generation to deal with, the same way we look with regret of how our leaders have dealt with it since 1974. This is an opportunity for the current Commissioners to make it right for future generations by correcting this safety problem that has existed for 35 years and to be viewed in history as the Commission that finally faced this challenge and did it right!

Michelle Wolters, North Star Aviation
Hamilton

Global warming

Dear Editor,

Old soldiers can be brief. I'm cold. Global warming? Bring it on!

Ed Sperry
Stevensville

Let’s face facts on Gaza

Dear Editor,

This is in response to the opinion “Speak out against Israeli war crimes in Gaza” by the Bitterroot Human Rights Alliance Board of Directors.

First of all, let's face facts.

To begin with, Israel is the only nation on earth that has the right to be where she is. The “deed” was given to her by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel. You can read this for yourself in Gen. 12:1-8, Gen. 13:14-17 and Gen. 26:2-5. There are other verses that state this, but the picture is clear: the land of Israel was given to the Jews. Abraham's other son Ishmael was given a promise of blessings too, but they were not given the land of Israel. This was for Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob.

There is no mention in this article (concerning war crimes) about the more than 6000 rockets that have been shot into Israel by the Palestinians over the past 3 years or so. I wonder how the US would react if one of our enemies started firing rockets into Washington DC on a daily basis, sometimes wounding people, sometimes not. Who would dare to say anything against us if we got so tired of it that we fought back? The Israeli people are sick and tired of the air raid sirens, running to hide and hoping that they won't get killed by an enemy that shoots from a distance and doesn't care who they hit. If you read what comes out of Israel by friends or those that are on the scene and are truthful, they will tell you that Israel warns before they bomb, and they do try not to kill innocent civilians.

Yes, Israel did stop aid going into Gaza because Hamas was intercepting it and it was not going where it was meant to go. They finally returned the goods and Israel allowed the aid shipments to continue.

The article also fails to mention the civilians that the Palestinians use as human shields. Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/idfnadesk and watch these videos. They are unedited and are straight out of Israel. The Palestinians not only use children as well as adults for shields, but they hide their weapons in homes, knowing that Israel will not target a home for fear for killing innocent civilians. The Palestinians have even hidden weapons in their Mosques and schools and wherever they can, hoping Israel will not fire on these places. There was also no mention of them taking over the hospitals.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTGbP55HGi8 and watch as Hamas trains the little children to become “Freedom Fighters” and to hate the Jews.

Why in the world has Israel come under so much hatred and condemnation? Is she really as bad as her enemies say? If any other nation dared to defend itself against those that wanted to destroy it, they would not be so condemned, or the condemnation would not be as harsh. However, every time Israel has dared to fight back ( which is her right), she is judged and condemned without the true facts. Consider this: In the book of Zechariah 12:1-3 God Himself calls Jerusalem a “cup of trembling” and “a burdensome stone” to all the nations. The Jews would be a problem for everyone. (Deut. 28:65) And there would be no peace in the Middle East until Messiah comes.

Go to www.yahoo.com and check out some of the reports on the doctored photos that have come out of the Palestinian media. In one instance, one man dies twice in two different pictures at two different times!

No nation is without blame, but we need to be honest and look at the facts. Israel has the right to be where she is. The Palestinians have already admitted to making the claim of doing away with Israel (the US too) and Israel has suffered much to allow her enemies to live where they are, knowing their ultimate goal is to destroy her.

A wise man has said, “If the Palestinians lay down their weapons, there would be peace in the Middle East. If Israel lay down her weapons, there would be no more Israel.”

Gary & Carol Russell
Stevensville

Thanks from Stevi business owner

Dear Editor,

Many thanks to our local Stevi folks for the wonderful donations. All we’ve done was with the help and support of our local community. However, due to the poor and declining economy, while donations have been up, sales have been down for a number of months now. Sadly, we will be closing our doors the end of this week, as we have not consistently made enough income to cover overhead bills.

We are getting hit from all sides. As many of you know, my oldest daughter temporarily moved to Wyoming to fund the startup of this shop with plans of being able to move back to Stevi once it was holding its own to help with the workload. Now her Wyoming employer (the largest mining company in North America) is doing cutbacks/layoffs. More recently, she has lost multiple full days of work due to numerous heavy storms/blizzards shutting down the mine and/or making it impossible for workers to get to or from the mine.

In addition, my young son, Jeremiah, has been ill for weeks. As some of you already know, we spent an entire day Saturday with him in Missoula ER running labs, neurological tests, CAT scan, 2 MRIs (head & full spine), as he has not been able to walk. The prior week he was seen by a chiropractor and his health care provider with more labs and tests done. We are not sure how much longer this will go on. We may be having to travel out of state to see a pediatric neurologist, etc. His health care provider will be reviewing his ER records and tests, and we will go from there. All of your prayers in this matter will be greatly appreciated.

A lot of good has come from this shop. We have accomplished a lot of the things we set out to do, some of which will continue through the state Horizons program we are involved in. We have met a lot of wonderful people we would not have met otherwise. We will continue to be an active part of our community, hopefully even more so than before! We have a great appreciation for all of our local business owners. From our ‘Main Street’ what you don’t see on many evenings and Sundays is what’s going on behind closed doors. There is much hard work continuing. So often when we were at our shop during evening hours and on Sundays working away, we’d see Michael and Victoria at the Bitterroot Star, Janet at Red Willow, Ginny at the Olde Coffee Mill, etc… So many hard workers trying to keep our special little historical Stevi alive. Joan Prather from our Main Street Association works endlessly to help.

Many local businesses have closed this past year; the same being true in Missoula and every town around our country. While we can’t do everything for everyone everywhere, each of us can do something for someone someplace. Let’s begin here in our own town. Please consider this each and every time you shop. We know times are hard and everyone needs to stretch each dollar, but we ask you, please consider wherever and whenever possible, keeping your dollars local. Each dollar is literally feeding our families, clothing our children, and making the house payment to keep a roof over our heads. It is a hard time for many. We are not the only ones being affected by all of this.

Thank you for your help and understanding.

Claudia Starr, Owner
Stevi Gift & Thrift

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