There are several groups in the Roaring Fork Valley that are concerned about the future of the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport.

These include Citizens Against Bigger Planes, Aspen Fly Right, Our Airport Our Vote and the Community Coalition for the 21st Century Airport.

Now another group has emerged to advocate for airport improvements and is supporting the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners’ November ballot question called “A Whole Lot of People for a Better Airport.”

A Whole Lot of People for a Better Airport is an issue committee that must be formed when a 501(c)(4) organization wishes to lobby for a specific ballot issue. Groups such as The Community Coalition for the 21st Century Airport and Aspen Fly Right are 501(c)(4) organizations that are prohibited by law from lobbying for ballot issues because they are intended to be educational tools only.

“The nonprofit organization A Whole Lot of People for a Better Airport will launch a campaign to inform and educate voters about the options – and also the consequences – of whether or not the county is able to implement the approved airport layout plan submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration,” said George Newman, former Pitkin County Commissioner.

The campaign will include opinion pieces in local newspapers, an advertising campaign and presentations to various community groups to correct misinformation about the airport circulating in the city, Newman said.

Another task of the expert committees is to accept campaign contributions, which must be publicly reported to Pitkin County.

A Whole Lot of People for a Better Airport was formed by the same people who make up the Community Coalition for the 21st Century Airport, including former Aspen City Council member Ann Mullins, former Aspen mayors John Bennett and Bill Sterling, current Aspen City Council member Ward Hauenstein, current Basalt mayor David Knight, and Newman.

“These FAA-funded airport improvements will allow airlines to more readily offer direct, nonstop flights, making it easier to fly to and from Aspen-Pitkin County Airport while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Mullins said in a committee press release. “We know that nonstop flights are better for the environment because they reduce the number of takeoffs between destinations. Additionally, critical grant funding is available through 2026.”

The last major airfield and terminal upgrades at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport were completed over 40 years ago, the press release states.

“The airport is outdated and improvements are needed to meet current airport standards and the needs of local residents,” the press release said.

The Committee of Experts filed its new committee registration form with the Pitkin County Clerk’s office on Thursday, August 8.

According to the document, the purpose of the committee is to support the county’s election proposal.

The purpose of the vote is to amend Article II of the county’s governing document, the Home Rule Charter, to give Pitkin County sole authority to approve and implement the site plan for the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport.

Our Airport Our Vote – the opposition – wants to amend the Home Rule Charter to limit county officials’ authority to extend or relocate runways at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport beyond the dimensions and locations in effect on January 1 without voter approval in their ballot question. It also clearly defines the term “runway.”

County commissioners cannot support A Whole Lot of People for a Better Airport in their elected official capacity, but must do so as residents.

“We can campaign as individuals, but not as commissioners,” said Commissioner Francie Jacober. “So as individuals, we support the thematic committee.”

The committee was announced on Wednesday 14 August, the same day as the first reading of the Commissioners’ voting question.

A second reading on both voting questions is scheduled for August 28.

Reach Regan Mertz at 970-429-9153 or [email protected].