On Thursday, Oct. 23, Mayor Tim Knapp, Mayor of the City of Wilsonville sent a “letter to correct the record” to Legislative Leadership and members of the Legislative Emergency Board to address and rebut the wild and incorrect information made at the Emergency Board hearings on Sept. 24 and 26—by both members of the Committee and those he gave testimony.
The subject areas of the letter are outlined below:
Letter to Correct Record of Sept. 26 E‐Board Meeting and Provide Information on Long‐Running Public Controversy over Aurora State Airport Expansion
I am also compelled to correct the record regarding certain incorrect information presented at the E‐Board meeting on September 26. By this letter, I will also clarify Wilsonville’s position on the long‐running controversy at the Aurora State Airport and raise important public‐policy issues of concern to the greater community and state and federal leaders.
I. FALSE INFORMATION / INACCURATE REPRESENTATIONS
- The City Did Not Violate Public Meetings Laws:
- Aurora State Airport Rated Lowest Priority in Oregon Resilience Plan for Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake:
- Wilsonville’s Concerns with the proposed Aurora State Airport Expansion Is A Regional Issue, Not a NIMBY Problem:
II. HISTORY AND CAUSES OF AURORA STATE AIRPORT CONTROVERY
- Aurora State Airport Expansion Without Transparency, Public Notice or Intergovernmental Coordination:
- Operations at the Aurora State Airport Directly Impact Clackamas County and Wilsonville:
- Family‐Wage Jobs for Marion County Residents:
- Unrealistic Expectations for an Expanded Aurora State Airport:
- Controversial History over Aurora State Airport:
- Aurora State Airport Does Not Take “Pressure” Off Portland International Airport (PDX):
- What Is the Real Motivation for the Aurora State Airport Expansion:
III. IMPORTANT PUBLIC‐POLICY ISSUES HAVE NOT BEEN DISCUSSED CONCERNING THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF THE AURORA STATE AIRPORT
- Clackamas County and City of Wilsonville Seek Public Dialog and Planning for Involvement:
- Surface Transportation Impacts:
- Lack of Alternative Transportation Options:
- Unfair Competition to Adjacent Jurisdictions:
- Environmental Concerns Are Significant
- Potential Harm to the Important Agriculture Economic Cluster
IV. RESOLVING MULTIPLE CONFLICTS OVER THE AURORA STATE AIRPORT REQUIRES AN INCLUSIVE TRANSPARENT PUBLIC PROCESS
- Withdrawal of the ODA application to FAA
- Development of an Inclusive IGA with all of the Relevant Local Jurisdictions
- Development of a New Aurora State Airport Master Plan
- Development of an Oregon Aviation Airports Master Plan
Needless to say, this is both a comprehensive rebuttal of inaccuracies from the Emergency Board hearings, as well as a very thorough documentation of the many problems associated with the Aurora Airport Master Plan and the current effort to secure $37 million in FAA funding to expand the airport.