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that area and the taxpayers would not be affected. <br /> <br />Mr. Otto ~he Environmental Assessment is done through a consultant selection <br />process. Fe4eral guidelines for the Assessment are very detailed; it is <br />mandatory that a public hearing also be conducted on the Envirormental <br />AssessmeRt~ <br /> <br /><]7airman ID~el - With respect to obligating State funds - the only an~er is <br />'no'. ~e'~tate has criteria to be met and once those qualifications have been <br />met it is a matter of being put on a priority list. Keep in mind that these <br />funds are not igeneral revenue funds; they are basically user taxes put upon <br />aircraft ~wners and airport operators and those funds are dedicated to airport <br />development. Nobody on this C(m~nission would hope to see that airport become a <br />reality if the develotznent oosts would be Ramsey's responsibility 100%. With <br />respect t° lOCation, there is not a location that would be to everyone's <br />satisfaction. ' ~he State has an ordinance addressing airport location, the <br />'cornfield! ordinance. ~his airport study was to study the existing site only <br />because itl already exists and is being used. With the exception of the homes <br />to the north, .it is pretty well screened and situated in the middle of 1400 <br />acres of industrial property. <br /> <br />Co~missio~er Stauffer - One of the meetings of this Cxmm~ission was dedicated to <br />looking at the eoon~ic benefits. ~he minutes of that meeting are public <br />r ecor d. <br /> <br />fb~issioner Sieber - Can Ramsey afford an airport? Yes, if we want one. <br />Council an~ ultimately the citizens will make that decision. Is it wiser to <br />extend sewer and water rather than develop an airport to attract tax base? <br />That is not k~own. I guess that sewer and water will come in anyway as sewer <br />and water .always come into developing areas. Don't think it is a case of <br />airport ~r sea, er and water; sewer will come either way. ~he airport may <br />retard or speed· up the need for sewer and water. With respect to looking at <br />other siteS,thave been in Ramsey 8 years and recall when the General Mills <br />property was being considered as an airport site; a lot of hot tempers got <br />consider&t~.'on~ of that site stopped. The Gateway site is the only real viable <br />site in R~sey. Will the facility be self-supporting? I don't think so but I <br />do think it will generate enough indirect revenue to offset the operation <br />costs. O~erali, it will be a benefit to Ramsey and bring money into the City, <br />but econ~!c kenefit is not the only consideration. According to the City <br />Charter, (buncll makes the decision and it is this Con~ission's job to <br />recommend ko GOuncil whether or not the project is feasible and a good idea. <br />The airport issue would not be put to a referendum unless it is done by <br />ordinance, "a~ it probably will be. If it is financed through G.O. bonds, it <br />will go to a referendun vote. Ultimately, the people will decide. Residential <br />property t~xeS will increase if additional commercial tax base isn't brought <br />into the City; the airport can spur that con]nercial develounent, but is an <br />airport the best way to spur that develoi~nent. Do the people want to bring in <br />business or will it be an expensive bedroom community. Ramsey is in the middle <br />of a developing area and if we retard development, the cost of living will be <br />higher; that is the decision the people have to make. Do the people want <br />economic grOWt~ and do they want to accomplish it with an airport? <br /> <br />Mr. Babcock - 118 E. Main - Anoka - Am an attorney representing Max Schwartzman <br /> August 21, 1985 <br /> <br />Page 7 of 14 <br /> <br /> <br />