airport

[jean]

The Greensburg Airport has received approval  (as you can see in the article below) from the FAA for their Environmental Assessment to proceed with expanding the airport.  As a result eminent domain will proceed and we will lose a Historic Farm and 2 families (one property owner and one adjacent to this project) have said they will move out of state and county as a result of this proceeding.  It is a sad day when a project is pushed because there is grant money available in the name of Economic Development when we have basically zero unemployment.  The Airport board will tell you this is for safety reasons but the attorney that was hired by the Concerned Citizens of Greensburg who used to work for the FAA will tell you that the FAA safety requirements could be met without taking this extensive plan and without taking this extensive amount of property.

Here is that article:

7/3/2018 - Airport Project Environmental Assessment approved Tuesday Morning - Click here to print this information

Jon Dooley, Vice President of the Greensburg Board of Aviation Commissioners, reported Tuesday morning that the Environmental Assessment for the proposed new runway project for the Greensburg airport was approved by the Director of the Great Lakes Region of the Federal Aviation Administration. He reported that the assessment was a 700 page document that has taken about 10-11 years to gain approval from the FAA. He stated that this is the final step to proceed with the project. The Board of Aviation Commissioners received a grant last year that could not be drawn upon until the Environmental Assessment was approved.



Mr. Dooley stated that the next steps in the process are surveying and federal appraisals of properties that would be purchased as part of the project. He reported that the new runway will be 100 feet wide compared to the 40 feet wide of the current runway. The length of the runway will increase from 3,400 feet to 5,405 feet, which Mr. Dooley stated would create a business quality runway that will serve as an infrastructure improvement that will allow businesses to proceed and flourish in Greensburg, Decatur County, and surrounding communities.

www.ask4direct.com/InfoRead.asp?id=WTRE&InfoID=1047383

[jean]

City Council get your check book ready. you will be the next stop as these FAA grants are "reimbursement" grants so they will need you to fund this upfront and i am sure there will be some very expensive eminent domain proceedings as part of this.

[jean]

The following email was sent to me by someone who lives in our county and is in no way close to the airport expansion. Name excluded for their protection but i do have approval to send out what they said to me.

Here is their email on the expansion:

How could it not have an environment impact when it totally destroys a historical farm and resulting farm ground? Double talk, nothing but double talk.



I would think having the runway near the bypass so close would also be a hazard. I can see that no matter what or where something like an airport is placed, someone is harmed by emanate domain and property is changed forever. When you factor in this happening when there is no proven need or benefit, then it is a crime to proceed.



What saddens me is that the entire city and county populous has sit back and basically allowed this to happen, as if they are immune to the consequences. They totally ignore the facts surrounding airports of this size and how they negatively impact the economy near their locations. They even assume immunity when it comes to paying for this on a yearly basis. That is until it actually happens. People in Decatur County during my lifetime has never saw a vision and acted upon it. They, instead leave it up to crooked politicians.

[jean]

For anyone interested in the Environmental Document on how they are "justifying" this airport expansion...the following link & instructions from Bobb Beauchamp of the FAA will give you access to how you can view the document.

[e-mail]
8:27 AM (32 minutes ago)
to me
Mrs. Johannigman,

Here is the link that should allow access to the document. I’m told it was posted on Wednesday last week, but I didn’t receive the link until Friday after I had left for the day.


www.cityofgreensburg.com/boardaviation1.html


I’ve tested the link, it takes you to a page on what looks like the City’s website. On that page is another link that will download the file with the FONSI ROD and the EA in a single large file (zipped). Please let me know if you have or hear of any difficulties with the download.

[jean]

I am posting the following letter from Marc Haston. Haston's are one of the landowners who will have their property taken from them for this airport expansion.

Marc Haston
August 14, 2012 · Greensburg, IN ·
My letter to the FAA:

To whom it may concern,

We feel the need to write to you in opposition to the current plan to
expand the Greensburg, Indiana airport at it’s current location.
From day one this project was mishandled. The property owners have been
treated as enemies instead of partners in this project. The extent of the
expansion was kept secret the first few years. If I hadn’t caught
them driving out of my field in July of 2003, when they were two years
into the project, we wouldn’t have been aware anything was going
on till they were ready to take land. I went to public officials at the
time but they were unaware of the extent of the project. This is not just
an expansion of the current runway it is an entire new airport.

The only real need Greensburg airport has is hanger space. All hangers
are full, they have a waiting list, but there are no current plans to add
hangers for twenty years. Local officials have no intension to put local
funds into improving the airport. If they truly needed this airport
improving the hanger space would be top priority to have a functioning
facility. They plan to wait for FREE FAA money to handle all improvements
and expenses.

No true expansion need has ever been proven. The engineering company has
led them by the hand to manufacture a need just to satisfy the FAA
regulations. In fact this was never a “public need”
situation. From day one when former mayor and pilot Gary Baily traveled to
other airports and he himself wanted an airport like the other guys had.
He went before the airport board and started them on a quest. From that
day until this it has been a Butler Fairman & Seifert project. The city is
just along for the ride. The FAA uses this to get communities on the hook
for supporting these projects that the city cannot afford to support in
the long run.

This has never been for the public that will pay to support the project.
It will serve less than one hundredth of one percent of the taxpayers.
This project has carried on because the lure of FREE federal money is a
drug politicians are hooked on. The more they get the more they want. They
cannot say no.

As landowners at the proposed expansion site we have a personal interest
in seeing to it that we are treated fairly. They plan to take twenty seven
acres from me and the thirty point two acres to the east will be
landlocked. We ride back on my farm to enjoy the wildlife, woods and the
stream. It has been our favorite part of the farm. We will be cut off from
this by a thirteen foot fence just six hundred feet from our back door.
This is unacceptable to us. We have hired the best attorneys to make sure
we are justly compensated for our loss if this goes through. There are
over fifty neighbors around the airport project that will receive no
compensation for the loss in property values that will happen due to the
expanded airport next to their homes. One of the landowners at the north
end will lose land that has been in their family over one hundred and
fifty years. When Abraham Lincoln was in office their ancestors were
farming this land feeding our community. Does this mean nothing? Another
landowner lives in a tranquil setting surrounded by trees next to a
tranquil pond they enjoy with their children and grandchildren. The
expansion will remove their pole barn and strip away all the trees on the
east side of their property. Their peace and tranquility will be replaced
by the roar of airplanes a few hundred feet from their home. This expanded
airport will also effect the safety and quality of life of the many
activities adjacent to the county fairgrounds, city park, city pool and
the sports park. These serve thousands of people while the airport serves
only a handful. Asking us to give up all of this is just too much to ask
therefore we oppose this expansion project.

Thank you, Marc and Shirley Faye Haston... from the south end of the
proposed runway.

[jean]

in the GDN under the public notices today....the city of Greensburg will have the proper "legal officers" consider the following " additional appropriations" in excess of the budget for the current year at their regular meeting place at City Hall at 7 p.m. on the 4th day of September.

Under that list is: Fund name:
Aviation Rotary Fuel Major Budget Classification:
other services & charges : $75,600
TOTAL for Aviation Rotary Fuel: $75,600

Taxpayers appearing at the meeting shall have a right to be heard.

[jean]

This is the VIDEO & the AGENDA of the Greensburg IN City Board of Aviation Commissioners meeting of 8-27-18.

NOTE: Be sure to listen to the financial report.....but more importantly be sure to listen to the report given by the airport board on contacting the landowners. In that report it was stated that the Koors family had been sent letters and called several times and is not responding. Then it was stated that the Goddards had not yet given permission either. Due to this , the next step the board took was to pass authorization for their board attorney to take action if they did not comply with letting them on their land to survey and appraise. Jim Pruett did not vote for this action as he said as an attorney he could see some potential problems resulting from the wording. My comment : Welcome to Greensburg!

VIDEO:

PART 1 OF 1 :
youtu.be/_LNG8K09PKk

AGENDA:

Call to order
Roll Call
Agenda Approval
Reading & approval of minutes of 7-23-18 meeting.
Financial Report

OLD BUSINESS:

Possible New Hangar (Jon)
Q/T Av fuel Jerry Scheidler

NEW BUSINESS:

Paul Shaffer of BF&S
Property owner visits report
Airport
Manager report - Jerry Scheidler

Approve payment of bills

Comments from the board or audience

Meeting adjournment (next Meeting September 24, 2018 (Monday)

ADJOURN

[jean]

8/28/2018 - Greensburg Board of Aviation Commissioners Meeting - Click here to print this information
The Greensburg Board of Aviation Commissioners met Monday evening. Vice President Jon Dooley presented the financial report with $32,760.12 in the airport improvement account; $56,152.40 in the aviation and rotary fuel account; and $140,082.69 in the airport operations account for a total of $228,995.21. Mr. Dooley also provided an update on individuals who expressed a possible interest in new hangars. Both individuals remain interested, but are not going to move forward until the future of the Batesville Airport is resolved.

Airport Manager Jerry Scheidler reported that the new credit card reader from QT Technologies and the 100 LL (Low Lead) gas pump from Sparling Corporation have been received. He also reported that one hangar will be available by September 1st, but already has 2 interested candidates.

Paul Shaffer from BF&S requested that the board extend the motion approved in the July meeting by one month to allow President Bill Ernstes and Board Attorney Donald Tribbett to sign any grant applications that require submission before the September meeting. The board approved the request. Mr. Shaffer stated that he, along with Mr. Tribbett, will be scheduling a meeting with the Greensburg Clerk-Treasurer.

President Bill Ernstes provided an update on visits with the owners of properties that would be acquired as part of the airport expansion project. The purpose of the visits was to obtain permission for access to the properties for surveys and appraisals. Several property owners granted permission with the requirement that they be present when anyone enters their property. The Goddard family refused to grant permission and the Koors family has not responded to any correspondence.

Board member Don Whipple made the following motion: "I make a motion that this Board authorize and direct its attorney, Donald J. Tribbett, to pursue legal action, only if necessary, to obtain access to properties needed for the runway relocation and realignment for survey and appraisal purposes in the event a property owner advises this Board that such access will not be permitted." The board passed the motion by a vote of 3-1, with Jim Pruett voting against the motion due to concerns with the wording of the motion.

The board will hold its next meeting on September 24th at 7:00 pm at Greensburg City Hall.

Tom Flemming-WTRE News

All rights reserved WTRE Inc
www.ask4direct.com/InfoRead.asp?id=WTRE&InfoID=1048807

[jean]

i am really disappointed in this community. why is the farmground (which is prime farmground) that will be lost in the expansion of this airport ok but not ok for others? i know the "official" answer will be "in the name of economic development" or it is all about the "business & industry"...and yet we basically have zero unemployment and do not have enough people to supply the jobs currently needed in our community . But because there is FREE grant money and if we don't get it someone else will we forge on. there is a saying that applies here that is rather long but paraphrasing the meaning it states i did nothing until they came for me & then there was no one to help. I did not think this was the type of community i grew up in...but i guess i was so totally wrong on that assumption. over the extended time this issue has gone on we had 3 city councilmen that polled their districts on this issue and it was 70 to 80 percent against this project. 2 of those city councilmen are still on the city council and yet we forge on with this uneeded and unwanted issue.

[jean]

Call your city & councy officials & protest the FUNDING of this travesty.
What is more important an airport for a few or prime and historic farm ground to feed the masses?

The following is from WTRE"s website


Board member Don Whipple made the following motion: "I make a motion that this Board authorize and direct its attorney, Donald J. Tribbett, to pursue legal action, only if necessary, to obtain access to properties needed for the runway relocation and realignment for survey and appraisal purposes in the event a property owner advises this Board that such access will not be permitted." The board passed the motion by a vote of 3-1, with Jim Pruett voting against the motion due to concerns with the wording of the motion.



Tom Flemming-WTRE News

[jean]

Another landowner posted on Marc Haston's facebook post concerning the taking of their land

this is what Judy Koors (one of the landowners) had to say:

Judy Beck Koors
Judy Beck Koors This morning I walked back to my woods, sat on the bench my son built for me and cried. It breaks my heart to think my beautiful woods will be destroyed and all I will see is a fence that will surround the airport.

There now have been 977 shares of this post.

[jean]

i just got a text from Marc Haston and Bill Ernstes just called him and said the appraisers would be out Monday to start the appraisal process to take their land....and we still don't know who is going to back the loan and how they are going to pay for this. until they are answering this question...why is more money being spent?

[jean]

According to Marc Haston the surveyors were out yesterday surveying the "roads" to begin the appraisal process in order to take the land needed for this airport expansion.

My Observation: why is money continuously being spent to proceed when they have yet to answer how they intend to finance this project to set it into motion?

The taxpayers deserve an answer to this.

[jean]

where is the transparency in our local government?!?!?  the taxpayers deserve an answer to how the city will fund this airport project...WHO is backing the loan from the Bank and what sources are being utilized to do so?!?!?

[jean]

sound familiar?!?!

Letter: Mayor not living up to election platform

Transparency

Lienhoop’s severely limited public comment at city council meetings and outright refuses to answer many questions from the public.

www.therepublic.com/2018/11/14/letter_mayor_not_living_up_to_election_platform/