Georgetown Airport Expansion

The Mayor is trying to obfuscate the airport expansion that is being proposed by "exclusively" focusing on an expansion of land area. The following is the statement from the Wilco Sun 1/24/2016 where the focus was on the up-coming workshop on January 26, 2016. 

There will also be discussion of airport educational materials, Mayor Ross said.

“There is just so much misinformation being distributed” the mayor said.

“People are getting wrong ideas. We want to educate the public about what is really going on and especially reject the crazy notion that we are expanding the airport.”

The mayor said it is likely the airport information will eventually be printed and handed out to citizens to “set the record straight.”   

There are other means of expanding an airport. First, the runway load carrying capability can be increased to accommodate heavier aircraft.  In fact, this is exactly what the city is proposing in their grant application to TxDot/FAA for 90% funding. Secondly, the fuel farm capacity can be increased to service more aircraft and larger aircraft.  The city is proposing this also.  Other methods to increase the frequency of aircraft operations would be to improve the navigational aids, expanded hanger space and parking ramps, all of which are likely under the city council mandate to the airport manager to "make the airport profitable."

The city, at all levels from staff to city council, has refused to engage in meaningful dialog with those citizens who live around the airport and who will be negatively impacted by any airport expansion!