I rent a hangar space at the airport, I have since the early ‘90s. When Harbor Air was operating the airport, we renters paid our rent to the CEO of Harbor Air. They in turn paid the taxes, light bill, repaired the hangars, mowed the grass, and all the little things required by the airport operator, such as replacing the wind sock, changing the runway light bulbs, the many little things that allow flyers to do so safely.

After the demise of Harbor Air we renters were left without an airport operator, no one to pay the light bill, or the taxes, etc. During this time frame Brooke Barnes (aka Lonesome Polecat LLC) was approached and asked to act as the airport operator, he did not do this.

Air International LLC (Joel Eisenberg) did, Air International has acted as the airport operator, collected rent,  paid the bills, performed the maintenance which allows the renters to continue to fly and air taxi companies such as Island Air Inc. to continue to carry passengers to and from Wes Lupien Memorial Airpark safely.

Wes Lupien Memorial Airpark is a valuable asset to this community. In the event of a major national disaster it will be the place where the first emergency supplies will be delivered, it allows air taxi operators to pick up and deliver passengers, and aircraft owners to commute with their own aircraft, yet this county has done absolutely nothing to protect it.

In my humble opinion this parcel of property should have been condemned and converted to a municipal airport many years ago. This would insure the community will have an airport in the future. As long as it remains in private hands we are at their mercy. As a municipal airpark it could be developed with the help of federal funding, into what Skagit County and City of Arlington have done with their airports. Each of these airports provide jobs and income to their communities.

It’s time we as a community got off our butts and require our county commissioners to end this dispute by use of the laws of eminent domain, and ensure we have an airport in the future.

Tom Downey lives in Oak Harbor.