The Friedman Memorial Airport Authority should welcome the city of Sun Valley and others who wish to offer ongoing advice on a new airport site.
The critical question of where to build a new airport to serve all of Blaine County is still pending and will remain until further studies are completed on one or more potential sites, inside and outside the county. The Sun Valley City Council last week backed Mayor Jon Thorson's request for representation on the FMAA board.
Neither Ketchum nor Sun Valley is individually represented on the board. The board is made up of a Blaine County commissioner, a member of the Hailey City Council, the Hailey mayor, a Hailey resident, and a north county resident.
FMAA board member and former Blaine County Commissioner Len Harlig, who lives north of Ketchum, says he is not a north-county representative, but a representative at large.
That leaves Ketchum and Sun Valley, the area's economic engines, with no representation. And, chances are that won't change any time soon. The Joint Powers Agreement that created the FMAA calls for Blaine County and Hailey representatives only.
That shouldn't stop the FMAA from forming an advisory committee of interested parties including the city of Sun Valley, the city of Ketchum, local chambers of commerce and major employers.
The FMAA failed to consult the northern cities and the business community before it kicked off a site selection process. It shouldn't make the same mistake twice.
Better to have the disgruntled inside the tent talking than outside throwing stink bombs.
