The Spencer County Fiscal Court will meet at 9:00 a.m. on June 2nd in the Fiscal Court Meeting Room, which lies just to the left of the Sheriff’s office. Individuals opposed to the proposed airport are encouraged to attend. The GRA analysis of the project was submitted to Fiscal Court on May 19th. This Monday’s meeting should provide a revealing discussion of the findings of the report, particularly with ragards to the positions of the individual Court members.

As of May 28, the petition drive has gathered more than 3000 signatures. Thanks to all who have participated, particularly those who signed at one of the polling places on May 20th. We realize you were already making time in your day for voting. The petition drive continues. If you have not had an opportunity to sign, please download the petition, available at the Resources page, and follow the instructions at the bottom of the form.

Many of you have heard there is a proposal to build an airport in Spencer County. This raises a host of serious concerns. First, there is the obvious concern about low flying air traffic, noise, pollution and the potential for crashes. Second, how much taxpayer money will be spent to build and operate an airport? Third, who, if any will benefit from the airport? Finally, there is a chance that the authorities will select a site for the airport and take the property by eminent domain, forcing the homeowners off their property against their wishes. When questioned, the Airport Board would not deny that possibility, and Fiscal Court refused to guarantee that your property will not be taken for an airport.

On February 6, 2008, three possible sites for an airport were identified in the Spencer Magnet. The airport board eliminated the Wakefield site and is currently reconsidering ALL other sites from the original list. You may soon read in the paper that your home has been selected as a possible site. Even if you are not near one of the sites, Spencer County citizens will help finance, through taxes, the millions of dollars in construction costs and operating expenses relating to an airport that will be used by only a few. Are you willing to accept an additional tax?

Our county officials refer to the ongoing process as a “feasibility study”, but no detailed analysis to determine the economic benefits to Spencer County or operating budget for a new airport were presented at the public meeting on February 19th (see blog). Instead, the airport board has employed a contractor to conduct a site selection study to find the best location for an airport. See the resources page.

What can you do? Several things.

• Talk to your Fiscal Court magistrate and to the Judge Executive. Encourage them to oppose recommendations to construct an airport. Again, the Resources page provides contact information.
• Tell your legislators how you feel about the proposed airport. Ask them to oppose funding for further studies and for construction. The Resources page lists the addresses and phones numbers of all federal and state legislators representing Spencer County. It also provides letters addressed to each legislator. You may use these if you don’t have time to compose your own. Please send letters to each of your federal and state representatives.
• Download the petition, available on the Resources page, and circulate it among your neighbors. Many people have already been working on petitions, and others are just starting. Mail them to the address shown at the bottom of the petition form or drop them off at the home of one of the site leads listed on the Contacts page.