HomeMy WebLinkAbout1970 Easterwood Airport Authority DiscussionGen. Doyle Urges
Long, Careful Look
To the Editor:
As a constituent taxpayer I hope the
commissioners court will take a long,
careful look at the present proposal to
set up an airport authority for Brazos
County, despite the endorsements it has
received.
There is, of course, no question that
we need better airport facilities, now
and for the future.
We do not yet know the final shape
of the Federal Airport - Airway Bill nor
the program that the Department of
Transportation will promulgate there-
under.
We do not know what direction state
aid to airports will take following fed-
eral action. We have been shown no
county airport plan nor program of im-
plementation.
Based on a county -wide tax valua-
tion in excess of $47.7 million we are to
be asked to vote a blank check which
could amount to over $18,000 annually
although we have read in the press that
`it probably will not amount to that
uch."
We have a Brazos Valley Planning
Region and Development Council estab-
lished by the state, consisting of Brazos
County and the six abutting counties.
urrounded as we are by Waco, Austin
d Houston International Airports, it
is inconceivable that two regional air-
ports with commercial service will be
needed in our seven - county area in the
foreseeable future.
Why should Brazos County carry the
whole load when portions of six other
counties will benefit therefrom — al-
though perhaps not to the same degree?
If it is considered essential that an
airport authority be formed to deal ef-
ectively with federal and state financ-
ing agencies, would it not be preferable
to limit the taxing authority initially to
15 cents or 20 cents to provide some
operating funds while seeking to form
an effective council of governments and
regional airport authority?
Later, when we know more about out-
side funding sources; when we have a
clearly stated airport plan and program;
when we have a reasonable program of
airport user charges to help support the
operation; when we have an approved
engineering site analysis; when we set-
tle the question of the FAA criteria vio-
lation imposed by the road at the south
end of Easterwood Airport; the voters
of Brazos County will have facts upon
which to base an informed judgment.
At that time, and not before, should
we seek to finance an airport construc-
tion or improvement project.
John P. Doyle
1000 Shady Drive
College Station
Mr. Doyle is a retired Air Force ma-
jor general who occupies the Mc Donald
Chair of Transportation in the College
of Engineering at Texas A &M Univer.
s1ty. —The Editor
THE DAILY EAGLE
Page 6 Bryan College Station, Texas
Tuesday, March 17, 1970
Eagle
Editorials
Dialo5ue
The opinions expressed in Dialogue
are solely those of the writer and ao
not necessarily represent the opinion of
the Daily Eagle. Readers are request-
ed to limit their letters to 300 words or
less.
Myron Gantt Urges
Affirmative Vote
To the Editor:
Joe Orr's letter (Dialogue, March 11)
was about the best I've seen on the sub-
ject of the airport authority. It is cer-
tainly refreshing to see someone do some
research and give a little thought to the
problem before coming up with an emo-
tional plea either for or against an issue.
I heard of one person who is against
the authority because he doesn't fly and
doesn't think he should have to support
something he doesn't use.
This points out the need for a pro-
gram to inform the public of the advan-
tages of an airport to the community. I
agree with Mr. Orr that The Daily
Eagle acn do Brazos County a great
service by getting these facts to the
people.
Brazos County needs a modern air.
port. We need it now! Let's not drag our
feet. Vote FOR the airport authority.
H. I Adam* Says He
Signed Petition, BRutsee
To the Editor:
Whereas I have never found it neces-
sary to write letters concerning our
city and county government, I feel that
the issue of the airport authority is of
such grave concern to everyone that I
must Vice an opinion.
When I was first approached about
an airport authority, I was only too
11 4py to sign the petition and help put
the issues before the voters; however, - T
did so without thorough knowledge of
HB 189, which was passed in the last
regular session of the State Legislature.
This bill authorizes the county commis-
sioners to APPOINT a five - member
board as the airport authority when and
if the issue is passed by the voters.
Since the new airport will undoubted-
ly serve not only Brazos but surround-
ing counties as well, doesn't it seem
only right and proper that those coun-
ties that will utilize the airport also help
pay for it?
Brazos County is already unique in
state government as it has the only ap-
pointed school board with taxing author-
ity through the city commission. This
unique arrangement taxes those people
outside the corporate limits of Bryan
without representation, as rural mem-
bers of Brazos County are excluded from
voting for the city commission.
Now the voters of Brazos County are
being asked to write a blank check to
another APPOINTED board which could
have the authority to levy taxes and is-
sue bonds in substantial amounts, and
would be answerable only to the com-
missioners who appointed them.
It has been said that HB 189 can be
amended to call for an elected airport
authority, so be it. Amend the bill be-
fore the voters are asked to write a
blank check, not after the board has
been appointed for "staggered three -
year terms." No one will deny that
Myron Gantt Bryan- College Station needs an updated
:Bryan 811 Tanglewood airport facility in order to continue its
phenomenal growth, but let's do it right
the first time.
H. J. Adam
408 E. 23rd
Bryan
ICity Seeks AnsW4�r
To Air Trsport an
College Station Mayor D. A.
(Andy) Anderson Monday said the
City . Council of College Station
would meet with other authorities
of the county, the City of Bryan
and officials of Texas A &M Uni-
versity to try to resolve a more
practical solution to the air trans-
portation needs of the area.
Mayor Anderson told the audi-
ence attending the council session
that the city considered the need
important, and would welcome a
meeting with other governments
about the question now that the
proposed Airport Authority for
Brazos County had been defeated
Saturday.
The City Council also turned
down a request by Mrs. Leatrice
Alani to override the Planning
and Zoning Commission decision
not to rezone her property on
irview. Several residents of the
area voiced displeasure with her
plan to build an apartment house
on the lot, though she pointed out
several duplex houses around her
lot.
The council authorized Ander-
son to sign a note with the Uni-
versity National Bank for pay-
ment for the two new fire trucks
the city recently purchased, and
transferred funds from a re-
imbursement fund to pay for
furnishings for the new City Hall
and Fire and Police Station, the
water line to Texas International
Speedway, the extra costs of the
new buildings not payable from
the building fund, and the curbs
and gutters on University Drive.
McGraw Urges
A irport work
In a letter to the Brazos
County Commissioners Court
and the Bryan City Commission,
College Station City Councilman
Joe McGraw has expressed . his
desire to work toward an air-
port solution.
Dated Tuesday, the letter
calls attention to the College
Station council's announced
"willingness to join with you
and your fellow commissioners
in discussions leadi,ig to an
acceptable solution of our
ommon airport problem."
t his announcement, made
irmg our March meeting, was
bpsed by the tragic news of
resident (Earl) Rudder's
timely death," McGraw said.
1 lis letter, McGraw says, is
taindicate his continuing in-
te;st in the improvements of
oui area's air transportation
faclities at Easterwood.
Though he cannot speak for
the council as a whole, McGraw
says, "I am sure that Mayor
(D.A.) Anderson and the other
councilmen of College Station
would welcome an opportunity
to meet with you jointly to
resolve this most important
community issue."
Both Bryan Mayor. Jerome
(Jack) Zubik and County Judge
W. R. (Bill) Vance were out
of town today and could not
be reached for reaction to
MQG raw's letter.
Information copies of the
letter were sent also to the
Daily Eagle, Mayor Anderson,
the College Station City Council,
State Sen. William (Bill) Moore,
State Rep. Bill Presnal, Texas
A &M University representative
Robert Cherry and Charles
Murphy of the Texas
Aeronautical Commission in
Austin.
Brazos County voters over-
whelmingly defeated March 22
the establishment of a county
airport authority. __.
't
R enovation
O n Agenda
P l a n s for renovating'
Fasterwood Airport will be `�
discussed when the Texas A &M �l
University System Board of
Directors convenes at 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday in the board room
on campus.
The board is scheduled to
a.Dpronriatr funds of an. un-
snecified amount for plannin
the extension of an airport
runway and for facilities to
enable aircraft to perform in-
strument landings.
Robert G. Cherry assistant to
the A &M president, told The
Eagle today that the board is
planning in hopes of receiving
a grant from the Federal
Aviation Administration to
finance the improvements.
Cherry said negotiations are
still in progress between A &T ,
and the FAA, but he could not `.
say what the chances were of c
the university getting the grant.
The A &M board last May
made an appeal to city and
county officials for financial
assistance, in maintaining the
airport. '
The board requesEed a
$100,000 grant "at the earliest
possible time" to be used in
"alleviating core..- dons nriw
causing two violations of FAAt
regulations" and to provide
matching funds for an FAA
grant.
University officials say they
are prohibited from using state -
appropriated funds for
operation, maintenance and
improvement of the airport, and
airport revenue is no longer
adequate to meet maintenance
needs.
Texas A &M, which has owned
See EASTERWOOD, Page 4
Easterwood
—
(Continued from Page 1)
and operated Easterwood as a
public air facility for the past
29 years, has made several
requests for community support
since 1964.
In March, the board of
directors backed a proposal to
create an airport authority,
administered by an appointed
board, funded by county -wide
taxes, and given operating
control of Easterwood with
A & M retaining ownership.
C o u n i ,y voters, however,
rejected the issue by a five to
one margin.
The board will also consider
appropriating funds for planning
an additional hangar at the air-
port, Cherry said.
The presidential assistant said
he did not know whether the
board would also consider
paying by other means five
A &M professors involved in a
College Station suit.
The five professors, all
members of the College Station
City Council, face the chance
of having their pay cut off
because of a Nov. 12 ruling
in an Austin court holding that
the state comptroller cannot
issue pay warrants to persons
holding two positions of honor,
trust or emolument.
Cherry said the issue is not
on the agenda, but A &M
president Jack Williams can
bring the subject up at the
board meeting if he wants to.
The board is also slated to
approve the distribution of the
Profits from the Exchange
Store, and award a construction
contract for the auditorium and
conference center complex, a
part of the expansion of the
Memorial Student Center.
Cherry said the contract will
be for "under $10 million."
Also on the agenda is an
"informal session of the board"
scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
CS Ma y or C!49.
Presents
Statements
College Station Mayor D. A.
(Andy) Andexson presented a
statement on behalf of the city
council regarding the recent
defeat of the proposed county
airport authority and the
current airport situation during
Monday night's council meeting.
"We stand ready to work
together with the other
governmental bodies such as
the county and Bryan to resolve
this thing in a practical man-
ner. We recognize the im-
portance of the airport," An-
derson said.
Open House to Mark
50th for Flight Service
An open house celebrating the
50th anniversary of flight ser-
vice stations will be held at
Easterwood at 10 a.m. Aug. 18.
The announcement was made
this morning at the Bryan -
College Station Chamber of
Commerce board meeting by
Bobby Clay, flight station chief.
In connection wth the ob-
servance College Station Mayer
D. A. (Andy) Anderson has
proclaimed the week of Aug.
16 -23 as Flight Service Station
Week. The College Station
Flight Service Station was
established Jan. 30, 1948.
C h a m b e r executive vice
president Pat Mann announced
that county agents from this
area and other specialists will
meet this week to discuss
putting cotton land into ` corn
production.
A major buyer has expressed
a desire to buy large amounts
of corn grown in this area,
agricultural vice president Jim
Eller had explained during a
past meeting.
The change from c , )tton to
corn hinges on the farm bill
now before Congress. Mann
noted the limitation on cotton
subsidy payments will probably
be $55,000.
Chamber president Lynn
Stuart announced the ground
breaking .for Christopher
Village ,a low cost rent sup-
plement apartment project, is
scheduled at 10:30 a.m. Aug.
21.
Pete Adams, board member
noted the agriculture land
assessment study committee
created by the Texas House and
Senate will meet in Bryan Aug.
26 at 10 a.m. at the Ramada
Irn.
The committee, created in
connection with propo ad
constitutional Amendment No. 3
to be voted on in November,
is gathering informaton on
agricultural land in connection
with taxation.
Should the amendment pass,
Adams explained, information
gathered by the committee will
FIRST BANK & TRUST —NUM-
BER ONE FOR A REASON,
be used to provide guidelines
for the amendment's im-
plementation. State Sen. Bill
Moore is on the committee.
Adams said the conference
will be open to anyone in-
terested and particularly those
involved with assessment of
farming land for taxation
purposes.
Board members passed a
resolution in memory of Brazos
A. Varisco and voted to forward
a copy, with his picture taken
as president of the chamber,
to his family.
Stuart read a letter from U.
S. Congressman Olin E .Teague
explaining that the House Ways
and Means Committee has
voted to limit the Highway
Trust Fund to the use for which
it was originally intended.
At the last meeting board
members passed a resolution to
that effect after hearing a plea
by district highway engineer
Joe Hanover.
Hanover said if present
legislation isn't renewed some
of the funds may be used to
See OPEN HOUSE, Page 2
Gro uD Studies . ',� ort Pi nme p
7e
Buchanan three members
each from he county, Bryan
and College StaticTi and one
from Texas A &M.
The county representatives
are W. W. (Woody) Humphries,
Don Angonia and R. A. Kidwell.
College Station represen-
tatives are Dr. 0. M. Holt, Dr.
T. J. Hirsch and Joe Sawyer.
Bryan representatives are
Warren Harmon, Walter S.
Anderson and Mit Dansby.
The committee was formed
after the defeat of an airport
Plans for an improved airport
for Brazos County are now in
the hands of a joint study
committee.
Chairman Spencer J.
Buchanan of Buchanan and
Associates said this morning he
had been assembling in-
formation and hoped to call a
meetir:g next week.
He and Texas Transportation
Institute director Jack Keese,
Te x a s A &M University
representative, met Thursday
with acting university president
A. R. Luedecke, Buchanan said.
"We wanted to get his
thinking on it," Buchanan ex-
pla `ned.
The committee is coiWosed
of
FIRST BANK & TRUST —NUM-
BER ONE FOR A REASON.
authority proposal in March.
During a May meeting of the
Texas A &M board of directors,
members passed a resolution
requesting a $100,000 grant for
Easterwood Airport to be used
fo r alleviating _ conditions
causing violations of Federal
Aviation Administration
regulations.
Copies were sent to the
county, both cities and the
Bryan - College Station Chamber
of Commerce. The board also
asked the community to finance
a seven -point airport im-
p r o v em e n t program which
would require expenditures of
approximately $750,000 during
t�e next 10 years.
C S Planers O
Commercial one
The College Station Planning
and Zoning Commission ap-
proved commercial zoning on a
10.583 -acre tract north of
Easterwood Airport conditional
to review by the Airport Zoning
Board during Monday night's
meeting.
The tract is located at the
intersection of the West Loop
(FM 2818) and FM 60.
A one -acre parcel was ex-
cluded from the tract because
t h e Federal Government,
through its Aid to Airports Act
determined the area (clear
zone) is unsuitable for any use,
and must be condemned by the
airport. The condemnation will
provide adequate air traffic
safety during the critical lan-
ding and takeoff periods.
Action was tabled on the
13.175 acre Tract 2, which is
east of Tract 1, across FM 2818.
The commission said they did
not reccomend both tracts for
commercial zoning and hoped
John D. Hoerner, developer
from San Francisco, Calif. who
was attending thq meeting,
would request later industrial
zoning on Tract 2.
C o d i e Wells, commission
chairman, said one of tha tracts
contained many beautiful trees
and he would "hate ,to see them
cut down." Hoerner agreed with
Wells.
Wells told Hoerner that the
city could not supply water or
sewage facilities to the area but
there are gas and power
.sources nearby. He added it
would be expensive to put them
in.
Commissioner George Boyett
asked Hoerner if he had anv
intentions of developing the,
property. Hoerner said he
didn't.
Boyett asked George Eby,
city planner, why he recom-
mended industrial oning rather
than commercial zoning on
Tract 2.
"I can't see the need for 24
acres of commercial property.
The West Loop will arobably
CPP f:C PLANNF.RC Pace $
CS Planners OIL
Commercial Zone
(Continued from Page 1)
Zoning Board.
be our industrial area according
to comments made by city
councilmen and com-
missioners," Eby said. He
added he was aware of the
wooded area on the tract, but
he felt industries might like the
idea of a wooded area which
would offer seclusion from the
highway.
Wells emphasized that the
commission couldn't act on the
proposal until they received the
concurrence of the Airport
Airport Problem:
How It Evolved
By ED HORN
And MIKE PLAKE
Of The Eagle Staff
What railroads did for frontier
communities, air transportation
is expected to do for cities in
the future.
Those with adequate air
transportation facilities are
expected to flourish and the
others — wcll, look at
Booneville, one airport booster
said.
Bryan- College Station
Chamber of Commerce and
some public, officials see
dequate facilities as an. Im-
portant ingredient in the mix
that attracts industry. With
First of Three Parts
' ndustry, they say, come more
and better jobs, more and
better homes, a bigger and
better community and an im-
proved way of life for the man;.
Bryan- College Station is just
I eginning to enjoy success in
attracting industry, with the
new Brazos County Industrial
Park seen as a big factor.
Manv of the people who
orked hard last year to make
e industrial park a reality are
volved in the airport authority
lir l,
It b egan in 1964 when the
=s A &M University board of
directors gave. notice the
university was finding it dif-
ficult to maintain Easterwood
Airport.
Howard Vestal, director of
management services at A &M,
has said the university board
passed a resolution saying the
school could not afford to spend
education 01lars on Easter -
wood.
Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration records show fiscal
year 1964 was the last time
Easterwood received an FAA
grant on a matching fund basis.
That was $19,500 for extension
of the terminal apron and
reconstruction of a portion of
the general aviation apron.
The records show A &M also
had received for Easterwood
projects $20,801 in fiscal 1945,
$85,000 in 1957, $6,000 in 1959,
$8,000 in 1960 and $7,600 in 1963,
for a total of $146,901 in FAA
grants.
Vestal said it may have been
about the time of the last grant
and of the board's first
resolution that the airport was
classified uy the state as an
"auxiliary enterprise," meaning
no appropriated funds may be
spent on it.
There was some flurry of
activity by governmental bodies
between the 1964 hoard
resolution and one approv?d in
See DISCUSSION, Page 2
iscussons Conducted On
it rt Authority uestion
p�
Continued From Page 1 return to the Legislature and examining receipts for gasoline
but little concrete was seek approval for an airport sold there.
pli5hed. authority, but the proposal was " The university's Executive
rict Judge W. C. (Bill) n o t considered by the Committee, composed of vice
was county judge during lawmakers until the 1969 presidents and deans, went on
eriod of intense discussien regular session. record Monday in favor of the
en the ` county and Texas proposed airport authority.
Meanwhile,. the A &M board The committee cited the 1968
we didn't know how had passed another resolution. A &M board resolution and said
this s 1968 document, the
money they were calking I needed improvements at
the judge said. "The d "efficiently'. n board pointed, out the university Easterwood include:
had owne and "ecient) "
informed us that it would y — Strengthening and overlay
considerable amount of operated Easterwood as a of runways
to pay for the work that public facility for 27 years. — Strengthening, overlay � nd
d to be done." pointing out that other widening of taxiways
ey indicated to us that comparable communities find it — Repair and expansion of
00 would be needed over advantageous to invest millions parking ramp space.
xt 10 years. That was the of dollars in airports, the A &M — Addition of a fire and
minimum, they said, ex- board requested that Bryan, rescue building.
g it to us in terms of College Station and _Brazos The 1967 proposals for
needs, expenses, ' an. County contribute to the Easterwood improvements,
ted revenue and other maintenance., and improvement which has been revised, gave
of Easterwood Airport.
acquisition of a runway clear
zone, relocation of the road to
ng the 1967 session of tare The board noted revenues at the nuclear reactor and to
Legislature, a bill was Easterwood (from sale °f Istruction of a deer -proof fence
d to .allow the A &M board aircraft fuel and rental of high priority.
ase Easterwood to the terminal and hangar space) At that time, it was estimated
were not sufficient to pay for E h s t e r w o o d improvements
vis said it was then improvements and ' the state d cost $1,328,500, with
ined 'the county could Would not provide appropriated federal grants paying fox
` t
collect five cents in taxes money for the airport.
.collect "That wouldn't $578,500 worth of the total.
raised enough money, 't E a s't a r °w o o d Airports The proposals were prepared
Tied to get Bryan and present condition requires funds for A &M.
1 e g e Station and the for ,major. improvements in
rsity in on it." order for it to be maintained
n Davis became district as an up -to -date, modern, safe,
and W. R. (Bill) Vance and serviceable airport for the
ppoin�ed as county iuuge, benefit of the entire com
e new judge, Bill Vance, munity," the resolution stated.
the counr <; commissioners The board ended by asking
ards decided the airport the community "to arrange
rity would be the best collectively to contribute the
to take," said Judge sum of $750,000 for use over
the next 10 years in the
iscussion had been under maintenance and improvement
w y;" Vance said. of Easterwood Airport."
"But it became apparent that There the matter stands —
the county did not have suf- governmentally —and will until
ficient taxing authority to Saturday when the outcome of
finance an airport. The county Saturday's election on creation
was at the maximum already, of an airport authority is
95 cents per $100 assessed known.
property valuation.' Currently, Vestal says,
Vance said the only way to Easterwood is in danger of
raise the funds needed for being deemed unserviceable and
Easterwood would have been to unsafe by the AA.
hike assessment ratios, then "The runways are rough and
reduce the county tax rate. deteriorated and have outlasted
This, he said last week, would their normal life expectancy,
increase the amount of state ad he said.
valorem taxes paid by Brazos No repairs have been made
County residents. Also, he on the surface of the landing
.pointed out, there is a reluc, strips since 1943, Vestal said.'
tance to take that step because All three of the strips have
tax rates have a way of pits and holes in them.
creeping upward under new Vestal said large jet aircraft
assessment ratios. now- come in at Easterwood, but
The decision was made a° they are underloaded with fuel.
They go to another, larger
airport after they take off from
here to top off their tanks,
Vestal reported.
He contends Easterwood was
not ` built as a private airport
and it doesn't operate on that
asis now. The A &M official
says he can prove that a broad
cross- section of people from
Bryan, College Station and
surrounding areal; use