Friday, June 25, 2004

Effectiveness of airport site selection process challenged

Citizen advisory committee’s meeting turns testy

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By PAT MURPHY
Express Staff Writer

For most of the scheduled two hours of their second monthly meeting Tuesday night, members of the Friedman Memorial Airport citizens site selection advisory committee seemed content to quietly absorb a wide-ranging technical and economic briefing on why a new airport may be needed for the Wood River Valley.

But almost at the moment of adjournment at 7:30 p.m., the meeting turned testy and continued for another half-hour.

It began when former Ketchum city councilman Maurice Charlat blurted out:

"We’re operating as an audience," he said impatiently, inferring the committee lacked any real meaning or influence. "I don’t know why we’re here. Last thing you want is individual comments," he said, directing his comments at airport officials.

That prompted member Wally Huffman, general manager of the Sun Valley Resort who was sitting beside Charlat, to chime in, saying he believed it "unrealistic" and "nothing short of a miracle to send a recommendation to the (Friedman Memorial Airport) board" for a new airport site.

"I don’t think we’re going to reach a consensus" on a proposed new airport site, he said. Huffman also claimed that the committee of 25 principal members and 25 alternates would "walk out of here in 18 months with divergent views."

Airport officials--manager Rick Baird, attorney Barry Luboviski and consultant Charles Sudby--sought to reassure Charlat and Huffman that the group could chart its own course, such as establishing subcommittees if it wished, and could render final recommendations representing various points of view on where and if a new airport should be built.

Huffman cleared the air by jesting that "I’m still struggling to find a (new airport) site between Hailey and Ketchum" that would be closer to Sun Valley’s resort facilities. The room erupted in laughter.

Clearly, sentiments still exist for maintaining the present airport and spending whatever is necessary to bring it into compliance with Federal Aviation Administration safety standards as well as prepare for a new generation of faster, larger aircraft now denied use of Friedman.

Friedman is classified as a C-III facility, but currently only in compliance with B-III standards. A major improvement program costing $16.3 million ($14.6 million from the FAA) is under way to catch up to standards.

The classification is computed on operating characteristics of aircraft using a field.

As airport manager Baird explained to the group, the FAA has never said the present field must be abandoned, only that it comply with standards and anticipate needs of the future.

The costs would not only be high in dollars, but also in community dislocation.

To make Friedman safe and usable for years to come, the terminal would need to be more than doubled in size, exotic landing and takeoff navigation systems installed, large new aircraft parking aprons built, the runway extended from 6,952 feet to 7,500 feet, and taxiways relocated farther from the single runway, which would require moving Highway 75 farther east and condemnation of private property.

Even if preserving the present field were feasible, Baird explained, it might not be acceptable to the community, whose complaints about noise was one reason the search for a new site was triggered.

Realtor Dick Fenton wondered whether the present runway could simply be rebuilt farther south on land acquired by the authority and city of Hailey. But Baird pointed out such a proposed move would be tantamount to building a new airport—requiring the same lengthy studies required of a new airport at some distant site as well as major land acquisition.

Baird also pointed out that any site within the Wood River Valley would still have operational limitations because of high terrain surrounding the area that narrows the approach and departure path for aircraft, and is partly responsible for diverting airline flights to Twin Falls during low ceiling periods in winter.

A minor rub developed during the meeting when Huffman asked that minutes be taken at each meeting and a transcript provided committee members later. He said "as far as my comments, I would like to have them verbatim."

After seeming to disagree they could be provided, Baird said some sort of summary could be arranged.

Huffman also was informed that the airport’s governing board had rejected his suggestion that delegates from Twin Falls and Jerome counties be included on the committee.

He said he would "register my dissatisfaction" with that decision.

Baird and airport authority chair Mary Ann Mix, who was attending as an observer, explained that Camas and Lincoln counties, which abut Blaine County, are included because of their proximity and the possibility a proposed site will be recommended in their boundaries; whereas, Twin Falls and Jerome are too distant to meet the needs of Blaine County.

Professional meeting facilitator Mike Pepper, of Twin Falls, came under criticism briefly after saying he hoped that if committee members talked to news media they would be "factual." Some members thought Pepper was attempting to muzzle them.

Not so, he said, and apologized.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.