TagSheila Brush(4)

Des Moines Ad Hoc Aviation Advisory Committee Re: Resignation and Recommendations Friends: The undersigned tender our resignations from the Des Moines Ad Hoc Aviation Advisory Committee (the “DMAAC”), effective immediately. We have greatly appreciated the opportunity afforded to us, through this Committee, to work on behalf of the citizens of Des Moines in relation to the significant environmental and public health challenges presented by Sea-Tac Airport operations. Our aviation committee has played a valuable role for the City in terms of collecting information, monitoring significant developments, formulating policy recommendations, and taking actions. However, our conclusion after observing the July 9, 2020, City Council meeting, is that the City is moving away from placing reliance on citizen input and leadership from this DMACC, and transferring its work to the City Manager and staff. We recommend that the City continue forward with a strong, and more independent, DMACC. Like the City of Burien, a strong aviation committee can yield significant results. However, our assessment is that our own service on the DMACC has not engendered the Council’s confidence to the extent that the Council would have required consultation on matters that are core to the DMACC mission and that are vital to the long-term interests of our City in relation to aviation. This must change if the DMACC is to have value. At the July 9, 2020, City Council meeting, the decision to rejoin the Seatac Airport Round Table (StART) was briefed to the Council and confirmed by motion. Although the DMACC…