BURLINGTON — Supporters wore green ribbons and opponents raised signs Monday night as both groups filled Burlington City Hall to voice their positions on the Air Force F-35 basing project.
According to an informal tally of public opinion taken at Monday night’s City Council meeting, 36 people spoke against the aircraft and four spoke in support during a comment period that exceeded one hour.
Though the council heard comments from both sides of the F-35 issue, there was no discussion. It was a standard public comment period, Joan Shannon, D-Ward 5, said.
But some council members used the meeting as an opportunity to move forward on the issue.
Progressives councilors are drafting a resolution that opposes the basing of the F-35 fighter jet with the Vermont Air Guard at Burlington International Airport, according to Max Tracy, P-Ward 2.
The U.S. Air Force has selected the airport as the preferred alternative to base about two dozen F-35 fighter jets, which would replace the current F-16 fleet. The final record of decision on the basing is expected in October.
While opponents raised concerns, several supporters called for a more productive debate on the F-35.
Rep. Kurt Wright, R-Chittenden, came to voice his support for the F-35. He said that both sides have cherry-picked the Air Force’s Environmental Impact Statement to select information that bolsters their position.
The purpose of the debate is not to accuse the other side of being liars, he said, referencing a statement by Ben Cohen, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder, who said Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger’s previous claims on the topic were false.
Some opponents used the meeting as an opportunity to inform the city’s leaders on the potential dangers and liabilities of the possible bed-down, said Rosanne Greco, a South Burlington city councilor and retired Air Force colonel who opposes the F-35.
Greco came to the meeting armed with a 10-page document that summarizes the Air Force’s 2,600-page revised draft EIS, health reports and other general arguments made by both sides.
Before the meeting, she said many leaders around the state have taken a position on the issue without understanding the “objective” facts of the possible basing. The purpose of her document was to inform the council on the issue, she said.
Two local attorneys came to the meeting to warn the council of the city’s possible liability resulting from the basing.
James Marc Leas, a patent lawyer in South Burlington and opponent of the F-35, said the council has the authority to prevent the basing.
Leas argued that the airport’s relationship with the city is similar to that of a tenant and a landlord. Just as a landlord can ask a tenant not to make noise, so can the city, he said.
James Dumont, an attorney from Bristol, said the city can insert such language into the Burlington International Airport’s Joint Use Agreement with the U.S. Air Force, an agreement that expired in June.
In the new agreement, the city can request that the Air Force pay for legal fees and damages incurred between property owners and the airport, for example.
To date, the Burlington City Council has not stated a position for or against the F-35.
A year ago, the council rejected a resolution in support of the F-35 in a 9-4 vote. However, a resolution to raise questions about the draft environmental impact statement was passed with unanimous support.
Last week, Tom Ayres, D-Ward 7, drafted a resolution that raised questions on the topic. The resolution was later withdrawn after it did not receive the support from other councilors.
Ayres, who considers himself a critic and not necessarily an opponent of the basing decision, said the resolution did not get support from Progressives because it did not oppose the F-35.
“It did not flat-out oppose the basing of the F-35. It simply said there are a whole range of questions,” he said.
The resolution raised concerns over the rising cost of the aircraft, the military’s readiness, the national defense needs for the weapon and a request for possible alternatives to the F-35, for example.
Progressives want to propose a resolution to clearly oppose the basing in Burlington, Tracy said.
Enough information is available in the EIS and other reports to justify a position, he said. Tracy said the Progressives have five votes but it will take eight to pass a resolution.
Last month, the Winooski City Council voted unanimously not to support the basing of the F-35 until more questions were answered. That same week, the South Burlington City Council voted to support the basing by a vote of 3-2.
The Air Combat Command is reviewing comments that were made on the draft Environmental Impact States (EIS). A final EIS is scheduled for release this fall and will be reviewed by the public for a minimum of 30 days.
