20070611 "Concerned Citizens United" takes their case against airport to City Hall

"Concerned Citizens United" takes their case against airport to City Hall

June 11^th, 2007 by Kevin Dayhoff

About a dozen members of Concerned Citizens United took their case against the proposed expansion of the Carroll County Regional Airport to the Westminster Common Council meeting this evening.

After protesting outside for about a half-an-hour before the meeting, the group attended the common council meeting; waiting an hour for the opportunity to speak during “citizen’s comments.”

At the beginning of citizens comments Council president Roy Chiavacci asked who wanted to speak on the matter of the airport and gave each speaker five minutes each. A number of members of the group took him up on his offer.

The first person to speak was Victoria Oneda, the organizer of the group, who went through all the talking points and questions in a handout they provided for the council members.

Ms. Oneda said that she and her group was “trying to create a dialogue about” the proposed expansion. And that she and members of her group – and Carroll County “citizens were unaware about the airport expansion” until only recently.

“Where is the water,” asked Ms. Oneda as she proceeded to ask some questions about city plans to develop a water supply from Medford Quarry. Where is the county going to get water for the expansion, asked Ms. Oneda.

She continued by asking, “What is the progress of the improvements for Rte 97? What if Marty Hill cannot sell his houses because of the airport?”

The next gentleman to speak announced that he lives in the city and has “consistently paid for more water than he uses…” He said that he has “lived here for over twenty five years... (and that the city) seems to be always be behind when it comes to sewage facilities.”

After further questions about “airport expansion taxes,” the dialogue continued as to whether or not the airport is not in the city… The runway is in the county? But the businesses out by the airport were in the city…, he asked?

He finished by remarking that in the research impact study that he reviewed, it did not take into consideration the impact on city.

The next person to speak had concerns about the economic impacts the proposed expansion of the airport will have on the city.

He then commented that earlier in the meeting “Mr. Pecoraro has alluded to a disconnect between the city and the county. The city will be impacted by the 737 larger planes that will be landing at the expanded airport.”

Commenting further he expressed concern about “noise pollution and air pollution” and that “conflicting information was being disseminated.” It has been reported that “the FAA is going to pick up 95 percent of the cost. (But) his calculation is that the FAA will only cover 25 percent of the costs for the expansion… It is not all as rosy as the commissioners” are presenting the expansion, he concluded.

Mr. Oneda was the next person to speak. He advocated the formation of a “Citizens Advisory Committee” (CAC). He noted that in information he read, the FAA required a TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) but also strongly suggested the formation of a Citizens Advisory Committee.

The reason he cited that it would be good to form a CAC “because the county has been so quiet about (the proposed expansion) and it is raising public distrust. Why are they hiding from this?”

Former Westminster Common Councilwoman, Rebekah Orenstein expressed concerns about Pennsylvania Avenue. She remarked that she had “met with Mr. (Steve)Powell (Carroll county commissioners’ chief of staff) last week for over an hour.”

Ms. Orenstein expressed concern that “none of you all are aware of (the airport expansion.) I’m very concerned about this,” in a reference to earlier discussion that the Westminster officials had expressed some concern that they had asked for a briefing about the purposed expansion but that meeting never took place. And yet she was able to easily able to have a meeting with Mr. Powell.

Her next concern was the “noise issue.” The “big jets are terrifying…” She expressed fear of the noise the big jets made, “especially after 9/11.”

“You folks have let this city and its residents down. Ms Kowalski came to you months ago and you dusted her off.” And the county has also dusted the Westminster officials off, she lectured.

The next person to speak said that she “was not a citizen of the city.” But she spends “a lot of time here.” I’m opposed to the airport because of the larger jets that it will be using it. Bigger planes make bigger noise,” she said.

“I would think that you would demand better communication with the county commissioners. You have every right to demand that you be kept informed. The Westminster council deserves to know what is going on,” she implored.

David Taylor, the next speaker, had safety concerns that he wanted councilman Kevin Utz to comment. A discussion ensued about safety issues concerning the airport expansion…

Beatrice Wolf remarked that the airport “has a lot of planes coming in low, making a lot of noise and I’m opposed to it.”

And finally a gentleman said he didn’t “think that it is necessary for the airport to have larger airplanes.” He noted that BWI is not that far away.

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