City Council, January 9th - Wishcasting at the Airport

Council meets for the first time in 2023, and the City is hyping the return to meeting in-person.

On policy, the start to the year looks a little awkward.

December 2022 and November 1952

If it seemed like a new Mayor, new City Manager, and new Councilors might meet our 21st century challenges, instead they seem determined to act as if we are still in the 20th century.

Leading the charge back to the 20th century is that interest in commercial air service. Who is Lucy and who is Charlie Brown here?

January 2008

October 2008 - via FB

July 2011

February 2016

Cuts last summer at Eugene airport

There's nothing new to say. At a minimum, Council should demand a greenhouse gas assessment before making any new investments.

Any airport expansion needs a GHG analysis

But of course there are pure business reasons for skepticism also.

The schedule has wishcasting:

Completion of the terminal improvements is scheduled for May 2023 as shown on Salem Airport Development Schedule included as Attachment 3. This is assuming no supply chain issues or other delays in procurement of any of the specialized equipment, and is dependent on TSA’s ability to procure, install, and test their baggage and passenger screening equipment.

And the subsidies. The capital expansion this year is budgeted for very nearly $2 million. Then are the annual operational deficits. Though the City had said up to $1.4 million per year, now they are low-balling to about $800,000 per year.

(red total added)

As part of the assumptions, the City assumes "the Groom PDX shuttle lease is not renewed" so for those who do need to take flights out of PDX, that shuttle option will go away apparently.

There are more subsidies. The total is not $1.9 million but is $2.4 million. There is also 3.0 FTE Fire and 1.0 FTE Police out of the General Fund. As I read it, this staffing requirement is in addition to the $800,000 annual operational deficit.

Budget Transfers

The Citizenry is just not getting a picture of the real total fiscal and environmental cost and a sober assessment of any benefits.

• For all previous notes on the airport see here.
  

By contrast, there's another subsidy that is buried a little on the agenda.

via Twitter

Council looks to approve an intergovernmental agreement with Cherriots for a one year extension to the youth pass pilot program. Now there's a worthwhile transportation subsidy! At much less than the annual cost of the subsidy for air service, the City gets something with real social and environmental benefit. This is exactly the right kind of targeted fareless support and the right kind of transportation subsidy.

• See at Salem Reporter, "Cherriots free youth ticket program leads to increase in ridership."
• And last summer here, "Cherriots Surveys on Frequency vs Coverage."
  

Giant superblock: 13th, Hines, 22nd, McGilchrist
(City of Salem street classification map)

Another item that looks to the 20th century is the proposed vacation for a stub of Cross Street. In the latest Staff Report, the interpretation of approval criteria may be technically correct on very narrow grounds, but from here it looks very forced and against the spirit and intent of the approval criteria.

Since we don't need it now, we won't need it later?

Never mind future connectivity and public interest

While it is true Cross Street is not connected now, and the gap in question here is small in the total context of the current superblock and all its gaps, at some point this will start redeveloping and connectivity will be desirable then. If it is not necessary to vacate now, why do it? Significantly, the vacation will benefit a car dealership. It's time to start prioritizing people over cars and car interests.

See previously with additional maps and more discussion:

• Notes for November 14th
• Notes for December 5th

There's also an application for Federal funding on a suite of culvert projects - "Removal, Replacement, and Restoration" - on Pringle, Clark, and Clagget creeks. The projects are touted as improving flood control and improving fish habitat.

And Council will approve funds for Attorneys Fees after LUBA overturned a denial of approvals at the former Mushroom plant site. See "Mushroom Plant Rebuke and Revision" here and the City's code fixes here.