5-24 Letter to the Editor

Dear editor,
The announcement of federal funding for the renovation and extension of the runways at Blosser Memorial Airport in Concordia is of huge importance for the future of our community and the entire North Central Kansas region.

Just as being on the railroad or not, made the difference between towns thriving or dying out in the past, having accessibility by corporate aircraft provides another transportation link, which will give us opportunities to vie for economic development projects, otherwise unavailable to us.

That access, along with four-laned U.S. Highway 81 and railroad access to the Gulf Coast, Pacific Coast and elsewhere, coupled with telephone and internet services, will allow a variety of individuals, businesses or industries to successfully operate from here.

Not only will corporate jet traffic help bring new employers, it will encourage existing businesses, such as Concordia Technologies, RMA and others in our region to stay viable and expand.

A number of us have long supported this expansion, especially the Airport Advisory Board and CloudCorp. However, we are truly indebted to Steve Richards, Chairman and the other Airport Advisory Board members and Ashley Hutchinson, Executive Director of CloudCorp, for urging the Concordia City Commission to apply to the FAA, the Commission for doing so, our U.S. Senator, Jerry Moran for championing our application and the FAA for granting and funding it.

We will be on a new kind of “railroad”, let’s take advantage of the chance to ride it!

Dana Brewer
General Counsel, CloudCorp