Will Oldham Fiscal Court Follow the Lead of Spencer County?

By Dewey R. Wotring

June 6,2008

    On June 2, 2008 the Spencer County Fiscal Court decided to abandon their airport board due to opposition to the proposed airport by the citizens.  Apparently there will be a formal resolution introduced to the fiscal court on June 16, 2008 to dissolve the airport board.

    Will the Oldham County fiscal court follow the lead of Spencer County and dissolve their airport board?  Certainly the majority of the people of Oldham County has demonstrated that they are opposed to an airport being in the county.

     After attending the June 4, 2008 meeting of the Oldham Airport board it is apparent that the board has made virtually no progress since November of 2007.  Meanwhile the residents of Oldham County continue to live with unnecessary anxiety about the airport.

     A report was prepared regarding the impact that an airport would have on Spencer County the likelihood of a tax increase to continually fund a General Aviation airport if one were built.  The report indicated that the residents would have to  partially fund the airport with taxpayer money for many years, if not forever. Further , the report reflected that an airport would have little if any impact on the level of air service available to the residents of Spencer County.  This finding is based largely on the fact that there are already two general aviation airports in the vicinity of Spencer County.  This report can be found in its entirety by going to www.kyfarms.org and clicking on "GRA Analysis" which is found on that page.

     Oldham County is not that much unlike Spencer County.  It is hopeful that the magistrates in Oldham County will immediately make the same decision as the Spencer County magistrates made,ie, follow the will of the people and dissolve the airport board.  That would quickly bring the issue to a close.