Letter to the editor: Elected officials worked to help airport with EAS issues

I am compelled to finish the Essential Air Service story started by the negative ad against Rick Berg in Wednesday’s Jamestown Sun. The ad in question accuses Berg of opposing Essential Air Service (EAS), which could have a devastating effect on our airport regarding commercial air service. As chairman of the Jamestown Regional Airport Authority, I felt it necessary to share my experience with Berg and set the record straight.

Before Berg cast the vote to which they are referring, he communicated with our airport informing us that he was going to speak on the House floor before the vote to clarify that he was a strong supporter of EAS for communities like Jamestown and Devils Lake. The initial FAA Reauthorization Bill was passed but, through Berg’s appointment to the EAS Working Group, he worked through committee to get the EAS program funded, supporting the Jamestown/Devils Lake commercial air service.

A North Dakota EAS Working Group was formed consisting of representatives from Sen. John Hoeven, Sen. Kent Conrad, Berg and Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s offices along with representatives from Devils Lake and Jamestown airports to focus on the EAS issues.

When poor service/performance of Great Lakes Airlines to both Devils Lake and Jamestown occurred, our elected North Dakota officials again responded by organizing and leading a high level meeting in Washington with senior management of Great Lakes, Delta, and U.S. Department of Transportation (EAS). The positive results of that meeting put both airports back on a growth path again.

We are very pleased with the response and pro-activity of our North Dakota elected officials as they worked together in the best interest of our communities and not politics. Thanks for reading the “rest of the story.”

Jim Boyd

Jamestown

(Boyd is chairman of the Jamestown Regional Airport Authority Board)

Tags: opinion, letters, politics