In another act that can only be titled sabotage, our own Ms. McClure who sits on both the Board of Supervisors and the California Coastal Commission is once again talking out of both sides of her mouth.
Remember when she was running for re-election? One of her supporters, Maureen Kevany-Jahn wrote into the Triplicate (May 30, 2013) a letter to Editor in which they titled “What’s Gitlin’s motive in blocking airport?” From that we can deduce that McClure supports the airport upgrade. Her supporter wonders “why all the constant jabbing at her (McClure)?” One reason is her close alliance with the very paper that likes to villify anyone not McClure or supportive of McClure.
One would think from the Triplicate letter to editor that Gitlin was not in favor of upgrading the airport and getting grants to do so while McClure is in favor. Nothing could be further from the truth. One thing about Gitlin, you ask him a question and he gives you a straight answer. No so with McClure. Since February of this year, McClure has blocked having grants on the California Coastal Commission (CCC) agenda. Since February. The grants are due to expire THIS AUGUST and it’s still not on the agenda. Ask her why?
McClure supports the 4:1 mitigation ratio. Four acres of land are to replace every one acre of land used by the building project. That means let’s have the County take or buy the properties out at Pacific Shores (which already has infrastructure there like paved roads), tear them up and create larger wetlands. As you read the second paragraph of the letter from CCC to FAA, you’ll see that, “The Commission often requires that mitigation be provided at a ratio of 4 acres of mitigation for every acre (4:1) of habitat impact from projects…..”.
The operative word here is “OFTEN.” That doesn’t mean always.
I have a problem with this entire 4:1 concept. So do others. By not getting the grants (see letter from CCC to FAA dated August 1, 2013 attached), that effectively kills the airport upgrade. The CCC in their obvious obfuscation (confusion) over the dates is recommending that the Commission grant approval then have a public hearing at the end of August. And then put it on the September agenda. This is well after the grants expire. Do you see a problem? I do.
Kill the airport and our own Ms. McClure known to be a NO GROWTH advocate also kills more jobs, more tourism, more managed growth and a chance at prosperity for Del Norte County.
When will we wise up and get Ms. McClure off the CCC and put someone there that is in touch with reality? We need growth. We need industry. We need jobs. We don’t need the County to own more land.
Meanwhile, McClure continues to talk out of both sides of her mouth.
During a recent meeting with the Boarder Coast Regional Airport Authority (*where this August 1st letter written by the Northern California Coastal Commission to the FAA advising the FAA of the commissions intent to issue the necessary coastal development permits); Supervisor 5th District, Dave Finigan, asked Martha McClure to move the hearing to the August commission hearing. Finigan was concerned that the grants for the funding for the airport safety zones , new terminal and other improvements could be lost permanently. According to an article in the Eureka Times Standard, that amounts to $3.3 million in grant money. Finigan approached McClure and DEMANDED she move the hearing to the August calender, noting there was sufficient time to post the required notices of the changes to the agenda.
McClure refused.
Finigan soon realized McClure is in fact intending to obstruct the airport improvement projects. That grant money will be lost forever. Everyone should now realize that McClure is not working for the best interest of our community.
Ron Plecaty
Crescent City, Ca.
