Aviation Advisory Board equals community representation

The MSB Assembly is considering eliminating the Transportation and Aviation Advisory Boards (TAB and AAB). MSB Ordinance #16-111 under IM #16-164 begins its reasoning by stating that there are twenty seven active community-based boards and commissions. The combined cost of these two boards is $59,450. Ordinance 16-111 is purportedly a cost-savings measure.

Considering the MSB Assembly disposes of millions of dollars at a preponderance of their meetings, $59,450 for community involvement seems a drop in the waterfall of expenditures. $59,450 might pay for one full-time position at the MSB. It won’t pay for a trail upgrade or a MSB Recreational Division warm vehicle maintenance building.

Additionally, the ordinance doesn’t eliminate the cost of the two advisory boards. Instead it redirects those expenses toward a 9-member committee consisting of MSB, AK DOT&PF, city employees (planners and capital works folks) and 2 transit folks. Predominantly government employees will be reviewing, vetting and advising the Assembly regarding governmentally developed plans and projects without community involvement.

MSB boards and commissions are comprised of community volunteer appointments through Mayoral recommendation and Assembly confirmation. They are considered the community’s representatives regarding MSB activities under the auspices of their statutory definitions. These boards and commissions are often our only representation (voice) in governmental planning, design and implementation.

Information Memorandum 16-164’s reasoning asserts that the AAB was formed to support the Regional Aviation System Plan (RASP) and was intended to sunset (go away) after 5 years. The AAB’s current efforts regarding the RASP are not mentioned in 16-111 or 16-164. Unexplained is that the AAB didn’t dive right into Phase II after it finished Phase I. The RASP required the AAB for Phase I and probably Phases II and III. What happens to the funding if the AAB disappears? Is the now multi-million dollar RASP abandoned?

The RASP places aviation related development responsibilities upon the AAB, like reviewing aviation subdivisions, CUPs and SPUDs. IM 16-164 says there is not enough time for AAB to review these with Platting and Planning. It takes months for a plan to get through Platting to the Platting board and then Planning Commission. That timeline could allow for simultaneous consideration by the AAB’s regarding these developments. Simultaneous delivery to the Platting Board and Planning Commission could occur.

IM 16-164 asserts that the MSB doesn’t own any airports. So, why did we spend the money, time and volunteer effort to have a RASP and why are we working on continuing it? The Phase II Economic Impact study indicates that there are eight state and two municipal airports in the MSB and 150 other public and private use facilities. “MSB airports were responsible for approximately 380 jobs, $21 million in labor income, and $17.5 million in output (business sales) within Alaska in 2014.”

It goes on, “Meanwhile, capital and operating expenditures were more evenly distributed between the MSB and areas of the state outside the borough, with an estimated $12.2 million spent within the borough and $5.3 million spent in other areas of the state.”

The economic impact alone deserves a board overseeing recreation and industry’s aviation interests. Economic Impact consideration for property taxes for homes located on lakes, which have more value than similar non-lakefront homes, isn’t there. Do the owners of those homes and businesses want to be left without any voice inside the MSB building? That $59,450 savings wouldn’t even buy an acre lot on most float plane accessible lakes.

Ordinance 16-111, sponsored by Assembly members Doty and Beck, will pass without a much larger outcry against it. The Assembly has postponed hearings on this issue until December 6 to give the impacted boards, and the community, an opportunity to weigh in on it.

The scheduled October 25th AAB (final) meeting has been cancelled. The next two TAB (final) meetings have been set for October 26th and November 24th. The TAB will consider the Long Range Transportation plan during the October meeting, but will not be allowed to consider or act upon 16-111 until it is too late for the Assembly agenda. All of these meetings will be held in the basement of the MSB building.

Why there isn’t more information about elimination of the TAB in this commentary? The TAB’s demise will take up as much editorial space as the AAB’s. We do not know that the AAB will be allowed to consider Ordinance 16-111. The elimination of the AAB’s voice should not go unheralded and, therefore, becomes a more urgent need than the TAB’s.

If you are an aviator, know an aviator, or want to be an aviator in the MSB you have now read a smidgen of the good works of the AAB.

Act now to save your voice on the AAB and the TAB.

Beth Fread is a Palmer resident.