# DODG E MAYOR' S OFFIC E | Mat t Bemrich , Mayo r| Davi d R . Fierke , Cit yManage r

Novembe r

14 , 201 1
Denni s J . DeVany , Chie f

'-" ^ f^QS p EA S & Domesti c Analysi s Division ^ ^73" ^ Departmen t

of Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Washington , D.C . 2059 0 RE : ESSENTIA L AI RSERVIC E REQUES T FO RCOMMENT S Orde r 2011-9- 5 Docke t

DOT-OST-2001-1068 2 Dea r Mr . DeVany , A s Mayor , I a

mplease dt o conve y that

ou r City Counci l an dCit y Administratio n endorse s th e proposa l submitte db y Great Lake s Aviation , Ltd . Give n th e increase s i n ou r enplanement s afte

r Delta' s improvement s i n Jun e 2010, 1 woul dlik e t o reques t that Great Lake s seriousl y conside r providin g ou r

community with four

dail y flights , instea dof three , whic h can accommodat e for th e increase s i n passenger s utilizin g ou r airport . In addition , I woul dlik e t o expres s ho w importan t it i s t o maintai n competitiv e fare s t o kee p th e passenger s choosin g t o fl y fro mFor

t Dodge . Keepin g cancelation s t o aminimu mwith "on
time " arrival s an ddeparture s i s importan t t o th e peopl e wh o chos e t o us e th e airport . Whe n th e servic e i s no t

professional , reliable , o r

competitive , th e custome r equate s that

t o th e Fort

Dodg e Regiona l Airport

a s awhol e an dno t

th e airlin e wh o provide s th e service. Th e unprecedente dcooperatio n betwee n Delt aan dGreat Lake s ha s resulte di n aproduc t whic h wil l provid e ou r

regio n with seamles s worldwid e connectivity b y offerin g interlin e an dticketin g arrangement s with Delt aAirlines . Keepin g th e direc t flight s an dadesirabl e tim e schedul e i s a vital componen t

t o th e utilizatio n of

th e EA S ai r

servic e program . Businesse s an dresident s i n Fort Dodge , Iowa , rel y heavil y o n th e For t Dodg e Regiona l Airport for conmiercia l an dprivat e ai r service . Fort

Dodg e ha s anumbe r

of ver y significan t

businesse s i n th e regio n tha t

sel l thei r product s throughou t

th e Unite dState s an dinternationally . I t i s critica l that

thes e businesse s hav e efficient transportatio n for

thei r employees , customer s an d management .• Nestle-Purina , Boehringer-lngelheim , Georgi a Pacific , Certainteed , Trinit yRegiona l Medica l Center , Iow a Centra l Communit yCollege , Silgan , C & S Product s ar e som e o f th e internationa l companie s tha t rel yo n th e Fort Dodg e Regiona l Airport .

• > I n addition , Cargill , th e world' s larges t grai n company , recentl yannounce d tha t i t wil l locat e a plan t i n Fort Dodge . Thi s multi-nationa l company' s sale s ar e world - wide , an d i t i s essentia l tha t Fort Dodg e b e abl e t o provid e ai rservic e fo rno t onl yCargill , bu t fo rth e additiona l busines s tha t wil l b e generate d a

s a resul t o f Cargil l bein g i n Fort Dodge .

• I t i s estimate d tha t Cargil l alon e wil l us e 150,00 0 bushel s o f cor n pe rday . A t th e curren t pric e o f $7.0 0 pe rbushel , tha t wil l b e a n additiona l $1,050,00 0 injecte d int o ou rloca l econom yeac h day . W e mus t hav e a n airpor t tha t wil l provid e servic e t o th e regio n i n orde rt o suppor t thi s growth .

• Fort Dodg e i s a n agricultural , industrial , retail , educationa l an d medica l hu b fo rnorthwes t Iowa . Th e closes t larg e airpor t i s locate d i n Des Moines , ove r10 0 mile s fro m Fort Dodge . Ther e i s als o a n airpor t i n Siou xCity , Iowa , bu t tha t i s ove r13 0 mile s fro m Fort Dodge . Th e For t Dodg e Regiona l Airpor t serve s a larg e geographica l are a an d mus t continu e t o d o so . I strongl y support

th e Federa l Essentia l Ai r Servic e Program , designe dt o ensur e that rura l area s hav e alink

t o th e nationa l transportatio n system . I t i s absolutel y necessary that For t Dodg e maintai n it s connectio n t o th e middl e an den dmarket s of thes e products , both nationall y an d internationally . Than k yo u for th e opportunity t o commen t o n th e proposal s regardin g th e future of ou r ai r service . Respectfully , Mayo r Matt Bemric h

Municipa l Buildin g | 81 9 1s t Avenu e Soutl i | For t Dodge , l A 5050 1 I Plione : 515.573.7144 | Fax : 515.573.575 1 Email : mbemrlcli@mchsi.co m