'•.,'• > 

### DEPARTMENT O F ^iiANSPORTATlO N : T OPERATION S 3 A 10: -5 1

^elltiricfi z 

# Histpric a museu m

'J/soove r oa r oofarfalpas i

P . O . Bo x 159 7 20 1 W . Gregor y Av e Telluride , C O 8143 5 Tel : 970-728-334 4 FAX : 970-728-675 7 2 7 Augus t 201 0 Departmen t o f Transportatio n I n th e Matte ro f Gran t Application s Small CommunS y Ai rServic e Developmen t Progra m Under49U.S.C . 4174 3 etseq . Docke t DOT-OST-2010-012 4 T o Who m I t Ma y Concern ; I a m writin g i n support o f th e Tellurid e Aiipor t Authorit y reques t fo ra SmaD Communit y Air . Servic e Devetopmen t Progra m gran t awar d fro m th e Departmen t o f Transportation . Telluride' s econom y i s primaril y touris m base d an d a s suc h convaiien t ai racces s i s critical . Th e reductio n i n Tellurid e Airpor t servic e ha s bee n signffican t ove rth e pas t severa l year s resultin g i n a significan t increas e i n fares . A s a loca l residen t I ca n tel l yo u I hav e resorte d t o drivin g grea t dis tance s t o us e othe rairports . Increase d ^re s hav e als o discourage d visitor s fro m comin g a t al l Ou r community' s acces s t o a n ai rservic e gran t awar d wil l giv e Tdlurid e a competitiv e chanc e t o increas e ai rservice , reduc e airfare s an d recove rai rsea t capacit y los t overth e las t coupl e o f years . Tellurid e Regiona l Airpor t i s th e highes t altitud e commercia l aiipor t i n th e Unite d States . Thi s pre sent s additiona l challenge s t o attractin g na w ai rservic e an d require s more fundin g i n orde rt o d o so . Start-u p fundin g support vi a th e Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Gran t progra m woul d g o alon g wa y t o hel p th e Tellurid e Aiipor t achiev e it s goals . Than k yo u i n advanc e fo ryou rconsideratio n o f th e Tdlurid e Aiipor t Authorit y Smal l Communit y Ai r Servic e Developmen t Progra m Gran t reques t Bes t Regards , ^'--~>^:-^i-i«<*>J>,X:^«—c=-»»'-« ^ Laure n Bloemsm a Executiv e Directo r

Tellurid e Historica l Museu m Boar d o f Director s Presiden t .Debora h Freedma n Vic e Presiden t Paul a Malon e treasurer . Dann y Craft Secretar y Vick i Eidsm o Sa n Migue l Count y Elain e Fisctie r Mountai n Villag e Da n Garne r Tellurid e Bo b Saunders Directors

- Tod d Brow n

Dian a Cono'^itz Rud y Daviso n Caro l Hintermeiste r Shar i Seay Mitchel l Joh n Shield s Ji m Thar p Emeriti-i s Pilchar d Bett s Jac k Harriso n • Joh n hllsbur y Sheil a Wal dAugus t 11 , 201 0 Department

o f Transportatio n Regardin g Grant

Application s Smal l Communit

y Air Servic e Development

Progra m Unde r 4 9 U.S.C . 4174 3 e t

scq . Docket DOT-OST-2010-012 4
To WhomI

t Ma y Concern : 1 a mcontactin g yo u i

n suppor t o f th e Tellurid e Airpor

t Authority' s reques t

fo r aSmal l Communit y Air Servic e Developmen t

Progra mgran t fro mth e Department

o f Transportation . Ove r the pas t fe w year s th e en;planement s a t th e Tellurid e Aiipor

t hav e decrease d from over 15,000 in 200 7 t

o jus t 7,00 0 enplanement s i

n 2009 . Thi s ha s increase d fare s an d cause d loca

l residents , second-hom e owner s and visitor s t o hav e to driv e grea

t distance s to trave l t o Tellurid e fromairport s a s fa r a s tw o am d thre e hour s away . Becaus e Tellurid e ha s acommunit y econom y highl y dependent

o n touris man

d air servic e access ; increasin g pur presen t air acces s i s critica

l t o th e development

o f othe r loca l industrie s a s wel

l a s supportin g ou

r loca l schppi s an

d medica l needs . Ou

r community' s acces s t

o a n ai r servic e gran

t wil l giv e Tellurid e acompetitiv e chanc e t o increas e ai r service , reduc e airfare s and recover ai r sea t capacit y tha t ha s bee n recently lost . Tellurid e Regiona

l Airpor t i s th e highes t

altitud e commercia

l airpor t i n th e Unite d State's , which als o offer s additional challenges.i n attractin g new air servic e and require s additiona l ftindihg in order

to d o so . Start-up funding suppor t vi ath e Small Conimunit

y Ai r Servic e Grant

progra mwoul d help imrhensely wit h bu r ai r service , goals . Than k you i n advanc e fo

r your hel p an d consideration- . Sincerely , Dave Riley CEO Tellurid e Sk

i & Gol f

'>6.

T Moiiiuuii i Villag e Bfnilcvar d • Tclliirific , C O H14.3 5 970.72a.7:HO 2 Te

l • 970.72n.7.3r>t

t P M www'.iVllnriflc.SkiaiKlCiiildiib.oui i•155 iMcaiil2!r i Villag e Blvd . Ste . A Mountai n Villjga . C

O S1«" S •.v'.vv/.tovinolnioiinlp.rnvillnfe.CDi n 97 0 728.800 0 970'?28.!!3i) 2 :• Augus t 23 , 201 0 Departmen t o f Transportatio n I n th e Matte ro f Gran t Application s Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Developmen t Progra m Unde r4 9 U.S.C . 4174 3 e t seq . Docke t DOT-OST-2010-012 4 Tti e Tow n o f Mountai n Villag e support s th e Tellurid e Regiona l Airpor t Authority's.reques t fo ra Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Developmen t Progra m gran t fro m th e Departmen t o f Transportation . Ou rcommunit y i s ver y concerne d abou t th e reductio n o f ai rservic e t o th e Tellurid e Airpor t i n recen t years . Thi s reductio n ha s resulte d i n increase d fare s an d ha s cause d loca l resident s an d visitor s t o driv e a grea t distanc e t o trave l fro m othe rairports . Thi s additiona l fundin g wil l giv e th e Tellurid e regio n a competitiv e opportunit y t o increas e ai rservice , reduc e airfare s an d recove rsom e o f th e los t ai rsea t capacit y tha t ha s occurre d i n recen t years . Whil e ou rregio n ha s a n econom y highl y dependen t o n touris m an d ai rservic e access , sustainin g an d growin g ou rpresen t ai racces s i s critica l t o th e developmen t o f othe rloca l industrie s an d t o suppor t ou r school s an d medica l needs . Th e Tellurid e Regiona l Airpor t i s th e highes t altitud e commercia l airpor t i n th e Unite d States . Thi s present s a challeng e t o attractin g ne w ai rservic e an d require s a highe rleve l o f funding . Start-u p fundin g suppor t b y th e Smal l Communit y Ai rServic e Gran t progra m i s critica l t o ou rgoa l o f increasin g ai rservic e access . Than k yo u fo ryou rconsideratio n o f th e Tellurid e Regiona l Airpor t Authorit y Smal l Communit y Ai r Servic e Developmen t Progra m Gran t request .

Rober t Delves , Mayo r Tow n o f Mountai n Villag eAueus t 11,201 0 Department

o f Transportatio n I n th e Matte

r o f Gran t Application s Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Development

Progra m Under 4 9 U.S.C . 4174 3 e l seq . Docke t DOT-OSr-2010-012 4
I a mwritin g i

n suppor t o f th e Tellurid e Airpor

t Authorit y reques t fo r aSmal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Development

Progra mgrant awar d fro mth e Departmen

t o f Transportation. ' I n th e pas t fe w year s we hav e see

n areductio n i

n servic e out

o f th e Tellurid e .Airport . Thi s ha s raise d fare s an

d cause d loca

l resident s and visitor s alike to hav e to driv e agrea t distanc e t o trave l fro

mother airports . Ou

r communities ' acces s t

o a n ai r ser\'ic e grant awar d wil l giv e Tellurid e acompetitiv e chanc e to increas e air service , reduc e airfare s an d recover air sea t capacit y tha t ha s been los t

ove r th e las t coupl e o f years . A s aloca l realtor , astron g loca

l econom y an d on e driven b

y visitatio n i s extremel y importan t t o m y business . Wliil e Tellurid e ha s aconununit y econom y highl y dependent o n touris man

d air servic e access ; sustainin g an d growin g ou

r present ai r acces s i s critica

l t o th e development

o f other loca l industrie s an

d to suppor

t ou r loca l school s and medica

l needs . Tellurid e Regiona

l Airpor t i s th e highes t

altitud e comjnercia

l airpor t i n th e United States . Thi s present s additiona

l challenge s t

o attractin g new air

servic e an

d require s more funding i n orde r t o do so . Start-up fundin g suppor t vi ath e Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Gran t progra mwoul d g o alon g wa

y to helpin g u s wit

h ou r air servic e attractio n goals . Than k yo u i n advanc e fo

r your consideratio n o f

th e Tellurid e Airpor

t Authorit y Smal l Communit

y Air Servic e Developmen

t Progra mGrant request . Bes t Regards , Nori n McLea n Broke r Associate Tellurid e Rea

l Estate Corporatio nAugus t 11 , 201 0 Department

o f Transportatio n I n th e Matte

r o f Grant Application s Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Developmen

t Progia m Unde r 4 9 U.S.C . 4174 3 e

t seq . Docke t DOT-OST-2010-012 4
I a mwiitin g i

n suppor t o f th e Tellurid e Aiqjor

t Authorit y reques t fo r aSmal l Communit

y Ai r Sei-vice Development

Progra mgrant awar d fro mth e Department

o f Transportation. ' I n th e pas t fe w year s we hav e see

n areductio n i

n sen'ic e out

o f th e Tellurid e Airport . Thi s ha s raise d fare s an

d cause d adro p i

n visitor s wh

o choos e no t

t o hav e to driv e agrea

t distanc e t o trave l fromother

aiqiorts . Ou

r communitie s acces s to a

n air servic e grant awar d will giv e Tellurid e acompetitiv e chanc e to increas e air service , reduc e airfare s ian d recove r ai r sea t capacit y tha t ha s bee n los t

over th e las t coupl e o f years . M y busines s generate s alo t

o f loca l employment , ta

x revenue , loca

l busines s an

d i s akey busines s t o hel p sustai n ou

r loca l economy . Th e los s o f

airpor t acces s directl y affect s m

y busines s an

d i n tur n thos e wh o depen d on me . Tellurid e Regiona

l Airpor t i s the highes t

altitud e commercia

l airpor t i n th e United States . Thi s present s additiona

l challenge s to attractin g ne w ai r servic e an

d require s more funding i n orde r t o d o so . Start-up fiinding suppor t vi ath e Small Communit

y Ai r Servic e Gran t progia mwoul d g o alon g wa

y to helpin g u s wit

h ou r ai r servic e attractio n goals . Than k yo u i n advanc e fo

r you r consideratio n o f

th e Tellurid e Aiipor

t Authorit y Small Communit y Air Servic e Development

Progra mGrant request . Bes t Regards , Christin aCasa s Presiden t Accommodation s i

n Mountai n Villag e Inc . DB A Tellurid e Rental s

## Hotel Columbi a 30 1 W . Sa n Jua n Avenu e Telluride , C O 8143 5 (970 ) 728-066 0
Augus t 11,201 0 Departmen t

o f Transportatio n [n th e Matte r

o f Gran t Application s Smal l Communit) ' Ai r

Servic e Developmen t

Progra m Unde r 4 9 U.S.C . 4174 3 e t

seq . Docke t bOT-OST-2010-012 4 1 a mwritin g thi s lette r

t o support th e effort s o f

th e Telluride Airpor

t Authorit y i n it s reques t for aSmal l Community Ai r

Servic e Developmen t

Programgran t

fromth e Departmen t

o f Transportation . Th e recen t

reductio n i

n ai r ser\'ic e i n an d ou t

o f th e Tellurid e Airport

ha s significcintly raise d fare s an d cause d visitor s an d loca l resident s alik e t o hav e to shuttl e grea t distance s t o airports . Ou r

conimunity i s ver

y dependen t

o n touris man d ai r

servic e i s aver

y importan t component . Th e Smal l Community Air Servic e Gran t

progra mwil l hel p u s provid e ai r

servic e t o Telluride . Thank yo u for takin g th e tim e an d 1 hop e ou r gran t reques t wil l be , successful . Sincerel y y^urs . Dir k d e Pagte r Owne r Hote l Columbi a