Brownwood Black History & Brownwood Airline Subsidies

From: "Gary Butts"
Date: Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:01:36 AM US/Central
To: "'Steve Harris and Steve Puckett'"
Subject: RE: BHRC Request for Black History Proclamation

I'll place it on the agenda......GB

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Harris and Steve Puckett [mailto:steve_squared@verizon.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2005 11:59 AM
To: gbutts@ci.brownwood.tx.us
Cc: emisonc@reporternews.com; candace.fulton@brownwoodbulletin.com
Subject: BHRC Request for Black History Proclamation

Gary, The Brownwood Human Rights Committee would like to request the
City Of Brownwood proclaim February 2005 as Black History Month. We
want to express our appreciation to the city and council for honoring
our requests of the proclamation in the recent years.

Regards,

Steve Harris
Steves' Market and Deli
Brownwood Human Rights Committee

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City should do 'whatever it takes' to get air service
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 
Brownwood City Manager Gary Butts told city council members Tuesday he will recommend the appointment of a committee that will identify options to pursue to try to restore airline service.

Butts said he will recommend that Mayor Bert Massey appoint a transportation committee consisting of council members and city staff. "We need to move forward in investigating any possible alternatives we might have," Butts said. "We need to get on this right away ... (and do) whatever it takes to get air service."
He said options might include trying to persuade other airlines to consider adding Brownwood to their routes, or seeking an airline that operates single-engine planes that have lower expenses. Butts also said the city can apply for a DOT aviation grant of up to $350,000 a year for three years to assist with a new airline.
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced it is eliminating Brownwood from the Essential Air Service subsidy program. Brownwood officials anticipate that Mesa Airlines will quit flying the Brownwood-Dallas/Fort Worth route, although it is uncertain when that will happen.
The DOT has said it wants Mesa to continue flying the Brownwood-DFW route until Great Lakes Aviation takes over routes in Ponca City and Enid, Okla., two communities that are currently served by Mesa. The DOT recently awarded the Oklahoma routes to Great Lakes.
"We're at the mercy of those two airlines working out a transfer date," airport manager Mike Wilson told council members.
Massey said he will continue to explore legislative options regarding airline service, although he said success there is a "long shot."
In other business Tuesday, council members approved the city's street maintenance project for fiscal year 2004-'05. The council budgeted $330,000 for street maintenance in the 2004-'05 budget.


* Approved a mayoral proclamation for the month of February as Black History Month.

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/01/26/news/news02.txt