Please help -- It's down to the wire

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
newsroHc.50517$XM6.16280@attbi_s53...
[...]
The general public, when presented with this referendum, will hear the
council and the mayor saying "we are doing this to help the airport" --
and
what chance will we have, with our "doom and gloom" message?

What chance? Simple enough: write some language, to be included in the
dissolution referendum, to a) require some sort of professional with a real
aviation background and real aviation qualifications to actually handle the
administration duties the City Council proposes to take on (in a real way,
not a "this advisor here that we never listen to" way), and b) restrict the
City Council from taking any action that might be detrimental to the
airport, including closing it and selling the land to a developer.

You (or a similar interested party) get to write the language. Make it as
reasonable, but as iron-clad as you can (IMHO, the simpler the language, the
fewer the loopholes, but you still need to remember to consider all the
possibilities). Then, in your public battle against the proposal, you
request (demand?) that the language be included in the referendum.

The City Council will either agree to it or they won't. If they do agree to
it, then you're "fine" (inasmuch as anyone is ever fine when dealing with
the government). If they don't agree to it, then that's your talking point
when lobbying against the referendum. "See? If the City Council really
wanted the airport to survive, they'd have no problem including this
addendum to the referendum" (you might not want to put that particular rhyme
in your press packet though ).

I know, "easier said than done". Even so, I think you ought to consider a
tactic along those lines.

Which is not to say that lobbying the council to prevent the referendum in
the first place isn't a good strategy. The earlier you nip it in the bud,
the better off you'll be, as you obviously know. This is just an idea for
down the road, if Plan A fails.

Pete

What chance? Simple enough: write some language, to be included in the
dissolution referendum,

The language of the referendum is already spelled out by Iowa State Law.
(The city attorney read it aloud at the last commission meeting, but I don't
have it in front of me.)

Luckily for us, it is written in a manner that will require a "Yes" vote to
retain the airport commission. (Apparently "Yes" votes carry the day more
often than "No" votes...)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ZDwHc.55864$XM6.8221@attbi_s53...
The language of the referendum is already spelled out by Iowa State Law.

I guess I'm a little confused then. If the referendum is at this point
unchangeable, that implies to me that there's nothing the City Council could
do anything about keeping it from the vote. Conversely, if the referendum
can still be withdrawn, it seems to me it could also be modified (by
withdrawing it and reintroducing it with new language).

What am I missing?

Pete

The language of the referendum is already spelled out by Iowa State Law.

I guess I'm a little confused then. If the referendum is at this point
unchangeable, that implies to me that there's nothing the City Council
could
do anything about keeping it from the vote. Conversely, if the referendum
can still be withdrawn, it seems to me it could also be modified (by
withdrawing it and reintroducing it with new language).

Apparently in Iowa, the laws about airport commissions are codified and
ready for action at all times. (You know those lawyers!)

Thus, they seem to have a "rules for airport commissions" that spells out
precisely how a city can get rid of its airport commission. And in that
"rule book" is the precise language that must be used when the decision goes
to a referendum.

So, in the end, our City Council can decide to hold a referendum on the
airport commission -- or not -- but they are not allowed to tinker with the
language of the referendum's question. That is pre-determined.

I wouldn't have believed it if the city attorney hadn't spoken it herself.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"