Winooski’s city council voted 4-0 Wednesday against basing F-35 fighter jets at Burlington International Airport. The council will formally request that the Air Force take Vermont out of consideration for this round of basing decisions for the next-generation warplane.
The vote came after an hour of discussion by councilors before an audience of 30 people who came to watch the deliberations, virtually all of whom were opposed to basing the jets at the Vermont Air National Guard facility. On Monday, Winooski residents attending a public forum voiced overwhelming opposition to the basing plan. The council wasn’t accepting any additional public comments Wednesday.
Councilor Seth Leonard, right, greets constituents after Wednesday’s vote.
The council spent much of Wednesday’s meeting piecing together a message to the Air Force using the framework of two documents it submitted last year in response to an environmental impact statement that ranked Burlington as a preferred basing location. It was unclear for much of Wednesday’s meeting whether the council would simply submit an updated version of its previous comments — which were hesitant about but not outright opposed to the F-35 — or draft new ones.
The crowd erupted into applause, though, after Councilor Seth Leonard introduced language that took a clear stand.
Leonard read from a prepared document what he hoped the council would say: “In the interest of protecting the public health, quality of life, and economic rights of its citizens, the City of Winooski resolves that the Burlington Airport be removed from consideration for the current basing of F-35 fighter jets.”
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Congratulations to the Winooski City Council for their courage and enlightenment. Finally, four politicians who are willing to stand up and be counted. Unlike the typical Vermont political sheep, the Winooski Council understands there is a cliff ahead.
It takes no courage to kowtow to a mob.
Agreed – glad they didn’t just go with the ‘F-35 for Vermont’ wing-nuts. They reviewed fact based reports and make a clear decision based on it.
Winooski just hasn’t been bought yet —
http://www.nationofchange.org/…
and with luck it won’t be.
I guess a mob is a majority that disagrees with you.
Even if this “mob” was only 30 people.
[Note that Hoo’s attack is ad hominem.]
I agree! Thank you for listening to and doing what is right for the people who live in Winooski…
Ma – I think you misunderstood Sutton Hoo’s “sarcastic” comments about it not taking any courage for the Winooski Councilors to bend to a mob so I don’t think you meant to agree with his comment?.
Or perhaps there is just a teensy bit of sarcasm in my comment
No offense. I guess I was just thrown off with you starting your comment with Agreed to his comments BUT am so glad that the Winooski Councilors opted to listen and go with NO to the F-35’s!
Nuts? So much for no ad hominems on the anti side.
And when it comes to mobs, the pros in this debate do not jeer opposing viewpoints. They do not stage phony, un-permitted, unscientific publicity stunts with mobile loudspeakers, as Mr. Hurd does. And they do not grab away other people’s microphones and interrupt them, as Ms. Greco did the other night. The antis behave like a mob, and the Winooski City Council gave into them.
As am I.
You’re right about the noise. They should have played it much louder as it was measured only feet from the speakers and not up to a 1,000 foot distance where the noise dissipates to safe levels (according to recording samples and the draft EIS)
The Burlington Free Press reported that it was 100 feet away and couldn’t even hear it.
I was downtown when it occurred and I never heard it.
Hey Taylor I read your article about droning at Bolton. I have looked at other ski areas policy and they all say no drones allowed except for Bolton Valley. Can a hobbyist use their drone there as long as they stay away from the people? Thanks