Saturday, December 17, 2011
For the birds
A few days ago, this LTE titled ‘Eagles at airport site’ appeared in the Austin American Statesman:
Margaret Maguire
San Antonio
Eagles are a noble and beloved bird but it’s going to take more than sentimental, well-intentioned concerns like Ms. Maguire’s to put the brakes on this project. Forget the Feds as Bald Eagles are no longer on the Endangered Species List. And forget County officials as they inked a 381 (Economic Development) Agreement well over a year ago that legally obligates them to support the project.
Those of us who have taken the time to read the 381 Agreement are well aware of the County’s obligations. Here is a pertinent excerpt from Section 10 titled ‘Mutual Assistance: County Cooperation and Assistance’ (discussed in more detail here):
“. . .to cooperate with and assist Company in any Company application to an Infrastructure Agency, for such approvals, consents or permits and any regulatory, financial or other forms of assistance as shall be deemed reasonable, necessary or appropriate for the planning, design, acquisition, development, construction, equipment, operation and financing of the Project.”
Knowledge is power. This site offers a formidable collection of documents that just might hold the key to getting the job done. Start reading folks . . .
Friday, July 8, 2011
An opportunity taken
Kudos to Shelley Cartier for bringing the proposed CTA into the redistricting debate at the public hearing. Here’s an excerpt from Commissioners hold hearings on redistricting in the Bastrop Advertiser:
“The way the first plan is set up, everyone who owns property negatively affected by the CTA would be in one precinct,” Cartier said, adding she didn’t think it was fair for only one commissioner to have to answer to constituents about the airport.
It’s unfortunate that more people affected by the redistricting, especially those at the end of the runway south of the river, didn’t take the opportunity to weigh in on the plans.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Reworked airport opens
Reworked Austin-area airport opens to corporate, private flights
By Shonda Novak
Austin American-Statesman
June 8, 2011
After more than three years of construction and a $33 million makeover, the former Bird’s Nest Airport celebrated its official reopening Wednesday as the Austin Executive Airport.
More than 400 people attended festivities at the airport, which is on 585 acres in Pflugerville.
Officials say that the airport will fill a void in the region, which has had a shortage of general aviation airport facilities since the late 1990s, when the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport in East Austin and the original Austin Executive Airport, north of the city, closed.
Austin has been one of the nation’s largest cities without a general aviation reliever airport, Austin Executive Airport officials say.
The new airport now has a 27,000-square-foot terminal; a runway that is 6,025 feet long by 100 feet wide; hangars; a fuel farm; a lounge and office space for pilots; and a conference room.
Work on the expansion started in 2008.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
‘Awaiting moderation’
StopCTA has posted several online responses to T. R. Reid’s op ed propaganda published in the Bastrop Advertiser on April 30. But not one of those comments has been released for public viewing.
The first languished ‘awaiting moderation’ for several days before being unceremoniously deleted.
Additional comments summarizing recent events at the Bastrop County Commissioners Court were posted on May 4th. One was an announcement that StopCTA had just received a copy of the letter that the BCCC sent to the USACE and that it would soon be posted on this very site (which it was). Those very informative comments are also still ‘awaiting moderation’ at the Advertiser but you can read a slightly different version here!
Just what is going on with the Advertiser?? Aren’t newspapers supposed to publish the news? Evidently, not in this county.
Today, two weeks after the fact, a summary of the April 25th agenda item concerning the proposed Central Texas Airport’s permit application to the USACE finally made it into the online Advertiser - Airport developers seek permit. Included in the article is all the information citizens would need to submit comments themselves. A lot of good that’s going to do because the deadline for submitting comments was yesterday!!
A conspiracy buff might think the timing was calculated to stymie citizen participation while cynics might just chalk it up to garden variety incompetence.
Maybe it’s time for heads to roll at the local rag . . .
Since first posting this we have learned that the article was actually published in the print version on May 5th. That was still considerably after the permit application filing date and it is unlikely anyone seeing that information for the first time would have been able to write comments on such short notice. Of course, there was no mention that the Commissioners didn’t learn about the application from Ronnie Moore but rather from StopCTA.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Airport project sputters
Skepticism added to criticism as Bastrop airport project sputters
By Asher Price
Austin American-Statesman
May 7, 2011
Developer Jim Carpenter had hoped to break ground on his Bastrop County airport in December, but no dirt has moved.
Instead, some neighbors have united to oppose the airport, haranguing county officials, dialing up the media and starting two websites. They initially argued that the airport would be a nuisance. Now they argue that it’s a sham project.
