Quote(s) of the Week
5/28/2003
"The board does not want to see temporary businesses there"
"Maybe they shouldn't be there until the lease is approved"
Martin County Commission Chairman Mike DiTerlizzi - Stuart News - May 28, 2003
Response:
Finally starting to get the picture Commissioner?
5/28/2003
"This board doesn't give the impression that we know who's on first when it
comes to the airport"
"I can look like a fool on my own with no help"
"This airport thing is just one Marx Brothers comedy after another"
Commissioner Lee Weberman - Stuart News - May 28, 2003
Response:
How could anyone ever improve on those statements?
5/22/2003
"The flight schools have a vested interest in making a profit for their
business" - "Others have invested their life savings in
their homes. I don't think the flight school representative will be unreasonable
and we can find resident who won't be unreasonable either."
St. Lucie County Commission Chairman, Cliff Barnes - Palm Beach Post - May 23,
2003
Response:
An elected official who understands, is willing to be fair and really cares. He
joins Sarah Heard and Susan Valliere as local representatives who truly
represent the citizens who put them in office, not the special interest airport
business owners.
5/22/2003
"elected officials are supposed to represent those with noise
complaints"
Consultant Lisa Waters of the MEA group at the first meeting of the Treasure
Coast Airport Noise and Flight Training Assessment Group - Palm Beach Post - May
23, 2003
Response:
If we were being properly represented, WAAM and our growing membership would not
be active today.
5/14/2002
"has estimated the cost of the study could reach $3 million to $5 million and could take three to five years to
complete."
Airport Director Mike Moon - Stuart News - Sunday, April 14, 2002
Response:
Peter Ricondo, Miami director of the Chicago based firm, Ricondo & Associates "a relocation study would take about a
year to complete and cost about $350,000."
4/14/02
"the recent publicity campaign is more about election year politics than actual problems" - "It's just a political
exercise to get people excited."
Commissioner Lee Weberman - Stuart News - Sunday, April 14, 2002
Response:
This really once and for all, proves that the county commission and Mr. Weberman in particular, really haven't been
listening to WAAM, CCC and the public for the last 5 years!
4/14/2002
Commissioner Weberman - " the existing airport would not be publicly owned" "the airport land would revert to the
heirs of those who sold the land to the federal government in 1942 as part of the war effort"
Commissioner Lee Weberman - Stuart News - Sunday, April 14, 2002
Response:
Attorney Peter Kirsch, the expert aviation attorney hired by Martin County, addressed the issue of the reversion of
airport land and concluded that the issue is a non issue. There would be no reversion of the airport land to previous
owners. We suggest that Mr. Weberman read the county's own attorney's (Mr. Kirsch) opinions. Mr. Weberman is a publicly
elected official and has the responsibility to be factual and knowledgeable on county facts. We want facts Mr. Weberman,
not your opinions.
For the truth, click here
to read Attorney Peter Kirsch's Opinion
4/14/2002
Commissioner Weberman - "You can't move the airport without moving 20,000 to 30,000 trips a day through Palm
City"
Commissioner Lee Weberman - Stuart News - Sunday, April 14, 2002
Response:
Mr. Weberman is a professional engineer. He worked for Martin County in that capacity before being elected County
Commissioner. Mr. Weberman, you must be kidding. For you to suggest that the airport generates 20,000 to 30,000
trips a day defies comment - unless you really are planning to expand operations at Witham to the level of a major
commercial airport.
4/14/2002
Comment Dave Shore:
I cannot believe what I am seeing and the attempts to scare the people of Martin County and Palm City in particular
regarding our request for a feasibly study. In all my years in dealing with public officials, I have never seen such rubbish
and mis-information being generated by pubic officials. They should be ashamed.
3/26/2002
"Although they are an airplane related business, they are in no way dependent on the airport. They don't bring any traffic into
Witham Field as they use the railway for their product"
(Ted Astrofoli from the Economic Development Board - MCBCC board meeting - 3-26-2002 - regarding Vought Industries
value to the community)
WAAM response: We agree entirely. We have said this from the beginning. This is why we strongly objected to the
Economic Study done by Mike Moon. The study was skewed, biased and inaccurate. The study did not reflect the real
numbers on the value of the airport as an airport. Vought Industries would stay exactly as they are, even if they bulldozed the
runways at Witham. We wonder why Commissioner Elmira Gainey fought so hard to get that report, which deceived the
people back into the final version of the Airport Master Plan. You might want to ask her.
5/1/2002
"Due to the size of Stuart, the growth of the airport is and will become a
major problem for all the citizens and the city. The ejected jet fuel is a
pollutant that causes medical problems. Noise pollution problems will cause
negative home values.......it is time the City of Stuart should get involved in
the airport expansion to protect their citizens and the entire town from destruction.
When one neighborhood is negatively affected, the whole town is affected".
Charles Foster, Mayor City of Stuart Letter to City
Commissioners April 15, 2002.
(click here for full text of Mayor Fosters
remarks on the airport)
Response: We want to thank Mayor Foster for his
leadership and stepping forward to address a serious and growing problem that
will affect every resident in the City of Stuart. Mayor Foster in writing to the
City Commissions, brought forth and exposed some of the insidious problems that
we are starting to experience by an expanding Witham Airport - Witham Field is
truly a growing cancer in the heart of Stuart.
5/1/2002
" I support you and all of the civic-minded citizens who are involved in
endeavoring to acquire a feasibility study. Thank you for all of your hard work
and first-rate citizenship".
Frances Langford, A great benefactor to Martin County Letter to
Benjamin Shore, President CCC April 29, 2002
(Read Frances Langford's letter in it's
entirety in PDF format by clicking here)
Response: WAAM & CCC want to thank Frances
Langford for supporting our efforts to bring the truth to the people. Ms.
Langford is truly a great benefactor to the citizens of Martin County. Her
support of our efforts to obtain a Fair and Impartial Airport Feasibility Study
is just one more example of her great vision and desire to make Martin County a
wonderful place to live and raise children.
5/1/2002
"Home values are rising so fast here that if you don't like living near the airport just put your house on the market and many people
are willing to give you more than your asking price".
"The wealthy jet owners and leasees are bring a lot of money to Martin County".
When asked why you are not fighting for us he said - "it would be a 4 to 1 vote and that was not worth the effort to go against so
he usually votes with the others"!
"the majority of people in Martin County could care less about our problem with noise or other so called triumphed up scare tactics
about the airport".
The above quotes by - Dennis Armstrong County Commissioner District 1 Port Sewall homeowner picnic April 27, 2002.
Response: Speechless