news&community
Pacific City Support growing for keeping airport public
SUN PO Box 1085 Pacific City, OR 97135 Phone: 503-801-5221 tim@pacificcitysun.com
Tim Hirsch Editor & Publisher
Vicky Hirsch Editorial Assistant
Contributors: Laura Laskey, Sally Rissel
www.pacificcitysun.com
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Photo courtesy of Kathleen Serven
NESTUCCA JR.-SR. HIGH SCHOOL seniors Carissa Albin (flute) and Kayla Cross (alto saxophone) represented the school at the Northwest Honor Bands event, held at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, Jan. 5-6. See page 10 for full story.
South Tillamook County Library Club
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By TIM HIRSCH of the Sun
nization within this community and State, that the Pacific City Airport remain under the ownership, custody and control of the Oregon he debate over the future of Department of Aviation or other the Pacific City State Airport public entity to continue to serve continued during a Jan. 8 as a resource for the community at town hall meeting held at Kiawanda large to ensure continued availCommunity Center and hosted by ability to aviators, emergency Sen. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay), service providers, community Rep. David Gomberg (D-Otis) and business enhancement and a segTillamook County Commissioners. ment of the Oregon transportation Though the meeting was hailed infrastructure.” as an opportunity to discuss a Baylor also suggested that the multitude of issues, the possible Oregon legislature find a way to sale of the airport received the most financially support the ODA and attention. the airport. Photo by Tim Hirsch In his opening remarks, Oregon MITCH SWECKER, Oregon Dept. of Aviation Roblan responded saying that Dept. of Aviation director Mitch director, spoke at a town hall meeting held at it is a conversation the legislature Swecker reiterated that closing the Kiawanda Community Center Jan. 8. could have, but that the challenge airport here isn’t in the ODA’s plans. would be in figuring out “how to The challenge, he said, is keeping it ers here in Pacific City.” get the legislature and all of Orsafe. For the most part, community feedegon to recognize that Pacific City (State “Of all the (state’s 28) airports, we back at the meeting centered around Airport) has a unique reason to be here.” have more encroachment of buildings “The reality is when it comes to on that airport than any other airport we two things — one, what was perceived liability and paying insurance, if you have,” he said. “As director of the agency, as a lack of transparency in ODA’s initial discussions surrounding a possible look at the picture of the overlap at what I have to look at the liability and risk sale; and, two, a debate on whether the the airport should be and what it is, you associated (with) the airports. So when I have some problems with where resisee something like that, it concerns me.” airport would be better off in public or private hands. dents and businesses are located with He said that it was the concern “We’re talking about a piece of regard to that airport,” Roblan said. about the safety of the airport that has public property (for) which there were Swecker said the problem is really prompted ODA to entertain an offer by dealings going on that were not open an intersection of liability and funding. local property owner Kurt Brune to buy and transparent,” Tillamook County “We don’t have a lot excess funding the airport with the idea that it would Commissioner David Yamamoto said. “I to pay for increases in liability,” he said. continue to be operated as an airport. think what we need to do (is) open this “I have to be a risk manager.” Since that time, however, he said he’s up to a full-blown transparent process “I am absolutely opposed to seeing heard the concerns of the community so we can move forward. We want to this airport closed,” Gomberg added. about going the private sale route. hear your ideas about what the Depart“The question for me is what is the best “I’m here to tell you tonight that ment of Aviation is looking to do with (for it) long term. We need to keep hearwe’re willing to step back (from pursuthe Pacific City (State) Airport — good, ing from you on what your idea is. Let us ing the sale of the airport),” he said. bad or ugly. It’s kind of a reset. We’re know what you’re thinking because it is “We’ll take a look at this and have some critically important for Arnie and me to more public meetings with anyone that’s starting over again and this is the first step.” understand.” interested, and we’ll figure this out. We There were also those in attendance Following the meeting, part-time want to make sure we involve the people that asserted that ODA’s reluctance over resident Robyn Holdman, together that are most concerned about the fucontinuing to own and manage was as with Sally Rissel, have begun leading ture of the airport.” much a financial reason as one of safety. an effort to form Friends of Pacific City Community feedback to the idea Brian Baylor, a member of the TilState Airport, an airport volunteer and included comments from longtime lamook Pilot’s Association, said that in advocacy group. According to Holdman, resident Sally Rissel, who said she and that group’s Jan. 6 meeting, the group two dozen attendees at the town hall exher husband moved here 45 years ago was in consensus that the debate over pressed interest in the group. Holdman because of the airport. the airport isn’t an ownership issue, but and Rissel are reaching out to airport “I think (the airport is) just as ima funding issue. stakeholders to invite them to join the portant (to the town) as the dory fleet, “They’re low on funds,” Baylor said. group, as well as encouraging the “wise the surfers and all the rest of the things “This is the only reason this is going to management and use of the public airthat makes this place special,” she said. happen.” port.” The new group can be reached at “I do think we need the community to At the TPA’s Jan. 6 meeting, the friendsofpacificcityairport@gmail.com. work with (ODA) on some of the issues group penned a letter that supported Holdman also told the Sun that the that you might be worried about.” the continuing control and ownership of group is in the process of developing “We hear what you’re saying,” the airport by the ODA. a website where the airport’s history, Swecker responded. “We’re listening to Their official statement follows: “It photos, volunteers and events will be you. And we’ll have (a) working group is the position of the Tillamook Pilots shared. She said the group is also explortype of thing to make sure the airport’s Association, as an aviation related orgaing options to gain nonprofit status. futures is determined by the stakehold-
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