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Public weighs in on airport

Support, skepticism voiced
On Monday night, the public got a view of a preferred option that anticipates significant contributions from Federal Aviation Administration grants. The proposal is expected to cost $85.4 million.

Neither snow nor slush Monday night could halt the ongoing public debate regarding the future of Durango-La Plata County Airport.

A public meeting at the Durango Public Library to discuss the multimillion-dollar proposals went ahead despite the closure of schools and other events in the face of a major winter storm.

A dozen hardy residents came to listen to a pitch by Aviation Director Kip Turner and give their own thoughts.

The city of Durango and La Plata County – which jointly own and manage the airport – are moving toward asking voters to hike their property taxes to fund airport improvements. A preferred option that anticipates significant contributions from Federal Aviation Administration grants would cost a projected $85.4 million.

This option would fund a new terminal building east of the runway that would double the size of the current one. It also would have more parking spaces for airplanes and customer vehicles.

Residents were split about what should be done. Some were vocal in their support for a new terminal, while others were skeptical a new one is truly needed.

John Ritchey, a retired chemistry professor, said local taxpayers can expect to be hit with higher water and sewer fees and county ballot issues, along with continuing school bonds.

“Everybody’s got their hand out,” he said.

Ritchey was unpersuaded that the airport should be made more attractive to appeal to tourists and businesses.

“Frankly, I’m less concerned about making Durango popular for the rest of the world,” Ritchey said. “I live here. I’m interested in what it’s going to be like for me.”

A local recreational pilot, Mary Karraker, said a recent tour of the airport convinced her the facilities are inadequate for employees who toil behind the scenes.

“The airport is like a false-front Western building,” she said. “It was a farce. When we went behind the scenes, I couldn’t believe it.”

Brad Tafoya, co-owner of a Durango accounting firm, said city leaders should weigh how much the airport means to the local economy.

“I would like to ask the council that they consider the economic impact on this community and the future economic impact on this community,” he said.

The property tax as envisioned would cost the owner of a $350,000 home about $36 a year.

Turner has been pressing the case that Durango’s airport is inadequate for its current use, to say nothing of anticipated growth.

“The front door to our community is our airport,” said Turner, director of aviation. “It’s not something we want to let fall behind and lapse.”

Bruce Rodman, a local retiree, questioned the need for a new facility.

“It doesn’t work that badly right now,” he said.

Nationwide, small airports are losing air service, a point Ritchey seized on in his comments. On Friday, Frontier Airlines said it would not resume its seasonal route from Denver to Durango.

“Small towns and small hubs are losing airlines,” Ritchey said. “Airlines are making the kinds of decisions Frontier made.”

Turner said Durango is blessed with good air service for a town its size, and he’s trying to attract more.

“We’re aggressively working on other routes, other carriers,” he said.

cslothower@durangoherald.com



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