Mayor-Elect Ockomon: the SW Madison County Airport is 'a dead issue'

Airport Relocation Update

November 27,2007

Thanks to everyone who braved the weather and made their way to the Anderson Airport for last night's meeting! It was a great crowd - some of us even had to park with the planes! But that's okay! The pilots and airport staff were excellent hosts and glad to show us their wonderful facility. And as a group, the NO FLY ZONE was very, VERY well represented; anxious to hear the status of both the Anderson Airport and the SW Madison airport relocation plan.

The new Mayor spoke … and we liked what he had to say:

"Read my lips, the new airport in South West Madison County is a dead issue."

Once the standing ovation died down, and he had donned a "NO FLY ZONE" t-shirt, Mr. Ockomon thanked us for our support. He stated that our area of the County IS growing, and would continue to grow on its own; that there is no need for interference. He firmly believes in the viability and potential of the current Anderson Airport, and invited us to turn what has been for the past 5 months a negative into a positive, by throwing our support behind the current Anderson Airport. Mr. Ockomon's talk was preceded by a wonderful presentation from the Anderson Airport Support Group (AASG - pilots) and by Pete Bitar, President and CEO of Extreme Alternative Defense Systems (XADS) and AirBoyant, detailing some of the many plans they have for the Anderson Airport. Many in Madison County seem not to know what a fine facility we already have. It is deserving of our support and attention.

So, what does this mean? Are we done?

We're still in "wait and see" mode. Fishers Town Council President, Scott Faultless, was asked today for his response to Mr. Ockomon's statement. "If it's dead, it's dead", Faultless replied … but then went on to say Fishers had other options they are looking into. We have our "feelers" out for what those "other options" might be, but given the number of attorneys that sit on the Fishers Town Council, and the money Fishers has invested in Madison County already, our antennae are "up" for possible "end run" maneuvers. To that end …

1) We're encouraging folks to leave the NO FLY ZONE signs up!!
2) We're attending the upcoming BOAC meeting
3) We're attending the next County Commissioners meeting
4) We've assembled 3 complete sets of copies of our Petition Signatures and will deliver one each to the County Commissioners and Anderson City Council. (1607 total signatures !!! Great job everyone!!!)
5) We are consulting with our attorney about our current position and what, if anything, our next move should be.

Our goal from the beginning of this struggle was to end the SW Madison airport possibility now and forever. None of us wants to be fighting this airport again in a month, a year or even ten years. Mr. Ockomon stressed last night that the airport was a dead issue as long as he was Mayor. That is truly GREAT news!!!. But at this point, that is a 4 year guarantee. And there may be ways to accomplish the airport even without Anderson's support - we just don't know.

We've learned from this experience that as an area, we have been identified. Most of our land is unincorporated, and we do live in the fastest growing area of Madison County. For these reasons, we are a target. As we've talked with our attorney, we've been told there are things we can do to lessen our vulnerability. One is "rooftops" - the more buildings that would have to be torn down, the less attractive the airport option. (So …. go ahead and build that Dream House!!) Another is annexation. Rob Sparks, Deputy Mayor of Anderson and Interim Head of the Corporation for Economic Development, has been quoted in the paper confirming that Anderson does intend to annex west and south of the Nestle's area, and a new 385 acre annexation will actually have a hearing on December 13th. As NO FLY ZONE, we don't support or oppose annexation - it's an individual decision and it's not our issue. We have, however, heard some suggest that this will turn into a "pick your partner" situation for our area down the road. What we're saying is, the airport has taught us the need to be pro-active and vigilant in deciding what we each want for our community, and not wait until some entity tries to move in and decide those things for us.

The SW Madison airport seems to be dead for now - let's hope it's forever!!

One final note: This week, as we looked back through all the petitions and signatures … the notes of encouragement … the kind emails … we couldn't help but be proud of the NO FLY ZONE! Our little group (well, okay, 1600 people isn't exactly small!) accomplished quite a bit in just a few months. It's confirmed in us our belief that people do matter. That a small group of dedicated individuals can effect change when they go about it positively. And most importantly, that our voices count just as much - or more - than those of big cities, big business or big money. Thank you for making it happen! YOU'RE THE GREATEST!

We'll be in touch!

NO FLY ZONE/don’t_fly_zone

About the $2.9 million FAA Airport Grant

Announced in the Herald Bulletin on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, this $2.9 million grant has been 10 years in the making. Rather than laying to rest questions about the proposed SW Madison County airport, it actually raises more alarms.

The City of Anderson quietly accepted this grant on September 25, 2007. No public announcement was made. Two days later, Board of Aviation Commissioners President Tony Rogers told the Herald Bulletin he wouldn't attend County Commissioner Paul Wilson's community informational meeting because, “We understand the public’s desire for information, but there are no new substantive facts to present at this early stage.”

The fact is, at this point the City of Anderson was obligated to keep the Anderson Municipal Airport up and running for 20 more years or repay the FAA not only the $2.9 million, but other grant monies previously supplied to the airport. Anderson officials did not want to face the wrath of the southwest Madison County voters who were against the proposed airport, nor the raise the issue of repayment of grant money in the minds of the Anderson taxpayers who would have to shoulder the burden. The announcement of the grant award was suppressed. The original grant announcement should have come through the BOAC to the Herald Bulletin. The Herald Bulletin received no information from the BOAC, so other sources were required to make the news public.

Three days later, the only Anderson official to show up at Commissioner Wilson's October 1st community meeting about the proposed airport was Councilman Rick Muir. He told us how he and most of the other Anderson council members were kept in the dark about the Anderson Administration's airport relocation plan. This was the third meeting convened by Commissioner Wilson for the purpose of informing the local community about the proposed airport. It was the third time that no one in the Smith administration attended one of his meetings.

One day later, on October 2nd, NO FLY ZONE members attended the Anderson Board of Aviation Commissioners meeting and heard BOAC President Tony Rogers state,

"I can’t tell you this will be an airport next year. I can’t give you that certainty,” Rogers said.

“We are considering what are the options for this land once the city no longer funds it.” (see story in The Herald Bulletin).

The City had signed a grant document which obligated them to keep the airport open for 20 more years, but a week later, Mr. Rogers couldn't promise it would be open even one more year. Further, he said they were already considering options for the land on the assumption the City would no longer fund the airport.

Ten days later, on Oct. 12, NO FLY ZONE appeared before the Anderson City Council to present more than 1,000 signatures they'd received (within 3 1/2 days) on petitions against the proposed southwest Madison County airport. Council members claimed they were not informed of the project and knew nothing about it. Council president Donna Davis invited Anderson Mayor Kevin Smith to speak to the issue. Instead of citing the grant stipulation that the airport would stay operational for 20 more years, Mayor Smith insisted that he would pursue the issue of a replacement airport in SW Madison County. In fact, Mayor Smith made no mention of the grant at all, leaving NO FLY ZONE members as the sole source of information regarding the FAA grant and its obligations.

On October 17, five days later, Democratic mayoral candidate Kris Ockomon publicly challenged Mayor Smith to tell the audience at a debate forum that he will keep Municipal Airport open. Mayor Smith refused to make that promise and again insisted that he will maintain the course toward development of the relocation airport.

Pursuing a replacement airport will likely cost Anderson taxpayers millions of dollars if Municipal Airport is closed and FAA grants are repaid.

County Commissioner Paul Wilson's Community Meeting - Oct. 1st.

Madison County Commissioner Paul Wilson hosted a community meeting about the possible relocation airport on October 1st, 2007, at the Trinity Life Center, at the crossroads of SR 38 and SR13, in Green Township.

In addition to inviting Indianapolis Airport Authority representatives, Mr. Wilson invited Mayor Kevin Smith, the Anderson Common Council, the Anderson Board of Aviation Commissioners (see
http://www.heraldbulletin.com/archivesearch/local_story_270105349.html, "Airport Board Won't Attend Public Meeting"), the Madison County Board of Commissioners, the Lapel Town Council, The Pendleton Town Council, the Stony Creek Township Advisory Board and Trustee, the Green Township Advisory Board and Trustee, the Frankton-Lapel School Corporation Board of Trustees, the South Madison Community School Corporation Board of Trustees, State Senator Luke Kenley, Senator Tim Lanane, Representative Terri Austin, Representative Scott Reske.

Officials from the towns of Pendleton, and Lapel were present, and school board members from South Madison and Frankton-Lapel were on hand. Anderson City Councilman Rick Muir was the only Anderson official to appear. State officials and all other Anderson City officials were notably absent.

NO FLY ZONE Signs are a Hot Item!

Yes, we have signs!! By emailing dont_fly_zone@hotmail.com, you can order as many as you like for $9 apiece. You may pick the sign up locally or we may be able to deliver them.

Economic Potential is a hollow promise

Here is the template for the proposed replacement airport. See posts below to compare with what's already on the ground, and make your own evaluation of the true potential for economic development .

Executive Airport Still Awaits Development

You can barely find the outline of this 51-year-old airport among the verdant fields. Owned by Hamilton County Board of Aviation Commissioners, this airport lies only 14 miles NW of Indianapolis.

Whatever happened to "if you build it, they will come"? Photo: 2007

Fledgling airport displays little growth

Situated in rural Hendricks County, this young airport is only 13 miles West of Indianapolis. It is owned by the Indianapolis Airport Authority. In its six years of operation, little - if any - growth has developed around it. Photo: 2007