I am writing to you regarding my dismay atthe present City Council proceedings duringthe June 21st city council meeting regardingthe closure of the float plane base at theDawson Creek Airport.
A user of the float base was informed, thefirst week in June of a closure to the base as ofthe first week in July. And he wasn't informedby the city, he was informed by rumor.
The council heard information on June21st (as this was the first available date theaviation community could get booked into acouncil meeting to be heard) from numeroussources such as float pilots who use the floatbase, and aviation companies who operatefloat planes stating the shortening of the floatbase would render it unsafe for future use.
Then council heard from a member of thecommunity who currently uses the float baseto operate a charter company. This will surelymean the closure of his charter company atonly one month's notice!!!
After all of this, one of the council membershad the audacity to call the general aviationcommunity a burden on the taxpayers'dollars. Most of the users of the airport arebusiness owners in town, and the rest havelived and worked in Dawson Creek for numerousyears and are all taxpaying citizens. Ididn't know that using the public facilities thetown offers would get us no say for the future,and insulted.
In the end, we ended up receiving a letterdated June 21st stating the base will be closedon July 5th, 2010. Barely two weeks notice toclose a citizen's business and livelihood.I am absolutely appalled as a member ofthe aviation community, and as a citizen ofDawson Creek, by the city council's behavior.They have demonstrated that we do not reallyhave a voice in matters that affect us, and if wedo stand up to be heard, we will be unfairlylabeled.
Aviation users fully support the EffluentWater Treatment Project, we just wish to haveour safety and user concerns addressed in amanner consistent with how council hasresponded to requests from other user groups.We would like the opportunity as an aviationcommunity and citizens to offer suggestionsthat would work fairly for the city and theaviation community.
Jenny Spitz
