Good Reading: The Collection of Op-eds on the Airport Issue

10/12/2025

Firstly, let me remind you: if you do not live within the city limits of Longmont, your voice still matters. Please read up, write to the council, and call the TC line on this matter and explain why it matters to you. They are listening.

As for the City Council (CC) and AAB meetings: If you are outside the city limits, you may speak at both meetings. You get 3 minutes at CC and 5 minutes at AAB. Some CC meetings allow "Longmont City Residents only" to speak at the top of the agenda, but this is not the case for every CC meeting. (Last week's CC meeting exemplified this, and we had great representation.)

This group has received significant press coverage, including op-eds, regarding the airport issue over the past year. For those who want to know the issues and how to address them, here is a bundle of information for your reading and activist pleasure.

Check out the Op-eds below.

Below are some links and light commentary to notable past CC meetings. In case you want to track this issue across the past year.

November 19, 2024 City Council Meeting

Listen to the Public invited to speak. And, Kaplan Kirsh also speaks in this meeting. Here's what you need to know:

The counsel for airport issues is Kaplan Kirsch. They represent the aviation industry, not those affected by aviation impacts. They also represent Jefferson County in the BoCo vs. JeffCo suits. Also - at minute 20:53, Dan Leftwich told the Council about the Reserved Powers Doctrine and said the FAA grant conditions requiring them to seek approval from, and grant a veto to, the FAA before enacting any noise regulation was void and unenforceable. The Mayor Pro Tem (Susie Hildalgo-Fahring) built on Dan's earlier comment and asked Peter Kirsch during the Q and A whether the grant conditions prevented protecting public health and safety. Kirsch said "Of course not" then he changed the subject.

Council has obligations to follow Colorado Supreme Court law regarding the Reserved Powers Doctrine (which states the City Council does not have the authority to agree to a contract that gives another agency a veto over its power to protect public health, safety, and welfare). This is reason enough to demand new legal counsel.

June 3 City Council Meeting discusses the airport finances.

The Airport Manager's presentation starts at 3:48 followed by City Council questions and discussion.

There were a few omissions and mis-representations in this presentation. For a while it looked like Landing Fees went out the window. But the community intervened, and rest assured: they will be voted on Nov. 3.

Sept 23 City Council Meeting discusses Airport Budget

The Airport Fund Budget Summary was presented to City Council. The presentation begins around 2:58 of the video. "For those who say the airport isn't fully paying it's way, that is technically true" - Sandi Seader