Embattled Airport Boss, Dan Walker, Issues An "S.O.A." (Save
Our Airport!)
Somerset Airport (SMQ)
has been a family owned and operated public use airport since
1946, currently offering a full range of quality aircraft
services as well as a flight school, an on-demand charter
operation, and a maintenance facility. They hope to keep doing
so, but litigation by local land-owners makes that a question
yet to be resolved.
Somerset's Dan Walker explains why...
Dear Fellow Pilots,
For the past two years, Somerset Airport has been in conflict
with the Township of Bedminster in an effort to be the host to New
Jersey's Finest, The NorthStar Medevac Helicopter Unit. In the
beginning, we thought that our central location would be a benefit
to the population that reside in, or travel through, the northern
part of our state. It is everyone's good fortune that over this
past year our thoughts have proved to be correct.
The response times for the NorthStar team have been dramatically
reduced. In most cases, the reduction was as much as 75%. We all
know that the critical time in trauma cases is that first "golden"
hour.
With that said, we find ourselves under attack by a small, but
wealthy, group of individuals who's NOT IN MY BACK YARD attitude
has prevented us from the opportunity to even present our proposed
Hangar/ramp project, which would house the NorthStar unit on our
field. At every turn, we face a feeding frenzy of attorneys, seven
so far, throwing lawsuit after lawsuit at us. One of those lawsuits
claimed that Somerset Airport, by Bedminster Ordinance, could not
allow helicopters to takeoff: land, or be based on the field, even
though we are licensed by the State of New Jersey and able to
accommodate any and all aircraft that meet the performance
capabilities to operate from a twenty-eight hundred foot
runway.
We now find ourselves fighting, not just for the NorthStar Unit,
but for our continued existence. One of our opponents has said "I
have more money than Dan Walker will ever have and I will sue until
his grandchildren are dead."
It is obvious that their agenda is not just to stop the
Northstar Unit, but to force the closure of Somerset Airport thru
endless litigation.
We are asking for your help. The law is on our side. This is a
fight we CAN win, as long as we have the money to fight it. Please
make a donation to the Somerset Airport Legal Defense Fund, at the
address below, in whatever amount you can. The outcome of this
litigation will no doubt affect the NIMBY'S ability to close other
airports throughout the country, let alone in our state of New
Jersey.
Thank you in advance for any support you can give.
Sincerely, Dan Walker
Somerset Airport, POB 1007, BEDMINSTER; N.J. 07921,
908-722-2444