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u s . Deportmerrt of :' Z ] p. ;:• r p/i f; r > : r< 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Transportatio n " • •' • -'' " ' ' •^' i . J Washington , D C 2059 0 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation q O 0; 

The Honorable Gow B. Fields SEP 2 ] 2011 

Mayor of Lakeland 

Lakeland, FL 33801-5012 

Dear Mayor Fields: 

Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Lakeland Linder 

Regional Airport for a grant under the Small Community Air Service Development 

Program (Small Community Program). 

The Small Community Program was established to help smaller communities address air 

service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. 

Under the statute, the Department may use the funds to make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than four may be to communities in the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides significant flexibility in how the financial assistance 

may be used. 

On July 1, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 

receiving a grant this year file their applications by August 2. As these grant requests are 

pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the 

merits of any particular proposal. I assure you, however, that the Department will give 

fiill consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2011-0119 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel 

free to call me. 

Sincerely yours, 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Program 
/^^^ . 

^Cit y of 

LAKELAND: 

GOW B. FIELDS, Mayor 

Augusts, 2011 

The Secretary of Transportation 

United Sates Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, 

Washington, D.C. 20590. 

To Whom It May Concern: 

As Mayor of the City of Lakeland, I am pleased to support Lakeland Linder Regional 

Airport's grant application for the Department of Transportation's Small Community 

Air Service Development Program. The Airport serves a vital role in our vision for 

Lakeland and for the surrounding communities in Polk County. 

We share the Airport's goal of attracting low cost commercial service to the region 

to foster economic growth and improve quality of life options for the citizens in our 

community. We expect that not only will the air service provide benefits to our 

region, but also to the airports that will be solicited as travel destinations in the north 

east and mid west regions of the country. The Air Service program that has been 

adopted will focus on the non primary airports, where low cost carriers can capitalize 

on the lower infrastructure costs to permit lower fares for passengers visiting the 

Central Florida region. 

Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is the first Airport to provide commercial service 

in the county and it is important for this venture to be successful. It has only been a 

month since the Airport commenced service and this has been a major 

accomplishment for our city and county. Marketing will play a vital role in the 

success of this program. We have committed an additional $200,000 for the 

upcoming fiscal year 2012 which supplements the $206,000 we expended in 2011. 

Additional funding from this grant would be extremely helpful as we market not only 

new serN'ice routes but a new Aiiport "Lakeland" to the Commercial Passenger 

Industry. 

Lakeland is situated between Orlando and Tampa and its location by the Polk 

Parkway and Interstate 4 enables easy access to and from the airport with ground 

transportation alternatives available to move them to their final destination within 

Polk County, or its neighboring Hillsborough and Orange Counties. 

228 S. Massachusetts Avenue • Lakeland, Florida 33801-5012 

Phone 863/834-6000 • www.lakelandgov.net 

T 
Augusts, 2011 

Page 2 

The Chy of Lakeland and Polk County also has many attractions and events for 

visitors to take advantage of while visiting our region and we are committed to 

providing the best customer service to all of the passengers moving through the 

terminal. 

Central Florida has been one of the hardest hit areas since the recession, and the 

increased traffic that the Air Service would bring to our region would be not only 

extremely beneficial to this region, but also to the state through added tourist and 

business travel. We believe strongly in promotmg Ah Service to Lakeland Airport 

and expect the economic, transportation and quality of life benefits to be important to 

the recovery of the region. 

In closing. Lakeland Linder Regional Airport has just commenced Air Service in 

June 2011 and from all reports has seen high passenger volumes. We have worked 

closely within our city, county and state to market the Aiiport as we all understand 

the vital role it will play in our future. Marketing is critical as we launch new service 

and the city, county and state are committed to ensuiing this service is successfiil; 

however, additional marketing investments will play a critical aspect in the overall 

success of the program. We hope that you will consider our application for this grant 

and we can ensure that if we are granted funding the investment of these fiinds will 

deliver an excellent return not only for our community but also to the passengers and 

the cities of origin travelling to central Florida. 

Kindest regards^ 

Gow B. Fields, Mayor 

City of Lakeland 

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