SI 0-110727-010 

ISlt 

endocino 

County 

'J ±"r-i"~^ 

July 20,2011 ;=• 

CD 

The Honorable Ray LaHood ' ^ 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

I am writing to you in support of the County of Sonoma, California's application for a Small Community Air Service 

Dcjvelopment Program grant. 

Visit Mendocino County is the promotional group tasked with encouraging tourism and thus economic 

development for Mendocino County, Sonoma's neighboring County to the north. Until the arrival of Horizon 

Airlines flights at Sonoma County's airport four years ago, our County was without any scheduled service within a 

three hour drivel That lack effectively limited us to a drive market and hindered the development of our tourism 

industry, one of the few potential growth areas in our economically struggling, mostly rural County. 

Expansion of service to new hubs and increased frequency to existing destinations will further strengthen our 

toUrism and business economies by creating easier access and more choices for both business travelers and 

tourists alike. Many potential employers, residents, and visitors cite our transportation challenges as reasons for 

locjating elsewhere. 

Sonoma County has formed an active private-public partnership to push for and promote good airline service at 

the Sonoma County Airport. Businesses, California State University, community groups from all the surrounding 

counties, and various airlines are working together to bring additional airline service to this large and growing 

community. The expansion of the recently completed terminal will improve access and convenience for visitors 

and residents. 

Plc|ise support these efforts with a Small Community Air Service Development Program grant to Sonoma Countyit will make the difference. 

Sincerely, 

Scott Schneider, President ana CEO of Visit Mendocino County, Inc. 

120 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 VisitMendocino.com 707-964-9010 
MERRILL 

ARNONE & 

JONES, LLP J 

SI 0-1 10S02-037 

July 25,2011 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Docket DOT-OST-2011-0119/ Letter of Support 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

I am writing to you in support of the County of Sonoma, California's application for a Small 

Coramimity Air Service Development Program grant. 

In my business and international non-profit organization officer capacity I travel frequently to 

destinations in the Midwest, the Bastem United States and beyond. Because of those travel needs I 

believe it is vital that we have first-class and reliable airline services to and from the Charles M. Schulz -

Sonoma County Airport; a critical transportation hub that services significant populations in Napa, Marin 

and Mendocino as well as Sonoma County. 

The County of Sonoma has formed an active private-public partnership, headed by its Airline 

Attraction Advisory Committee, which I chair, to promote comprehensive airline service at the Sonoma 

Coimty Airport. Businesses, the California State University, and many community groups from all the 

surrounding counties are working together to bring additional airline service to our larger community -

with a particular focus on connection with an eastern hub-destination such as Denver. We need this 

connection to round-out the air travel options from Sonoma County Airport and properly serve our local 

travelers (both inbound and outbound). 

Your support in the provision of a Small Community Air Service Development Program grant -

would be critical in bringing this goal to fixiition and quite likely will make the difference in our success 

with these efforts. 

Please award a Small Community Air Service Development Pro-am grant to Sonoma County. 

Sincerely, 

MPM/epr 

Michael 

Chairman 

Airline Attraction Advisory Cbmmittee 

Soiioma County, California 

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810-110727-023 

'Wl College Avenue, Suite D • Santa Rosa, CA 95401-5148, U.S.A. 

(707) 565-7170 tel • (707) 565-7331 fax 

^i^'^f ^ SONOMA COUNTY www.sonoma-county.org/edb • EDB@sonoma-county.org 

ECONOMIC PEVELOPMENT BOARD Ben Stone, Director 

July 21, 2011 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

I am writing to you in support of the County of Sonoma, California's application for a Small Community 

Air Service Development Program grant. 

In my role as Economic Development Director of Sonoma County, I travel to destinations in the United 

States and beyond. For me and many others who live and work in Sonoma County and the adjoining 

counties it is very important to have good airline service at the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma Coionty 

Airport. 

The County of Sonoma has formed an active pnvate-public partnership to push for and promote good 

airline service at the Sonoma County Airport. Businesses, California State University, community groups 

firom all the surrounding counties, and various airlines are working together to bring additional airline 

service to, this large and growing community. An eastern hub like Denver from Sonoma Coimty Airport 

would gireatly enhance air travel options from Sonoma County Airport. 

Please support these efforts with a Small Community Air Service Development Program grant - it will 

make the difference. 

Please award a small Commimity Air Service Development Program grant to Sonoma Cotmty. 

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, • 1 . , • • ' \ i • • •. 

: >. ; ; ' Board of Pixectprs; , j/,-,; : > , :; < 

James Bielenberg, Chair • Pani Chanter, Vice Chair • Libby Harvey FitzGerald • Mark Inman 

Linda Kachiu • Peter O'Brien • Joe Orlando • Michael Toniasini • Marcos Suarez • John Webley 
SI 0-110720-030 

July 15,2011 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh: Street, SWv Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary La iood: 

V : Is ^ 

Developriieiit 

Sonoma County Airport 

! upport Sonoma County, California's appUcatibn for a Small Community Air Service 

Pro] ;rarri grant to help expand and improve airline service to the Charles M. Schulz -

I 

My 

Sonoma County 

community; s;oup^ 

airline servicb to; 

observation is that the entire county and the surrounding area supports the efforts of the 

bard of Supervisors and its partners (local employers, CaUfomia State University, 

from ail the surrounding counties, various airlines, and others) to bring increase 

Oir' airport.;-.' • ' '• •'•' ;•'•••• * ' - ' ' '^' ' ' ; 

Local 

other parts;; of the 

best way forfamiljf 

now very con; 

Increased airline 

would help ease 

airline service has traditionally been the most convenient and practical way to travel to 

itate and country to visit family; foi: business purposes, aiid for leisure. It is also the 

members, tourists and people with business in the area to get here. The highways are 

, arid with the federal budget situation there seems little hope of improving them. 

sjervice with an additional destination like Denver would help solve the problem and 

c( ngestion on the areas highways and the San Francisco Bay Area airports. 

igest id, 

-: Right now 

eastern destinatioris 

takes at least thres 

for those living ill 

Rosi. For these 

afternoon because 

Sonoma 

have committed 

Air Service 

Sincerely, 

I'asem 

Managing General 

cc; .Mr. Jon Stout, 

MRPORT BUSINESS CENTEf 

it is necessary to ride the bus or drive to congested bay area airports to get a flight to 

. The trip used to take about two hours from Santa Rosa. Now the same trip now 

hours at most times of the day because of highway congestion. It takes, much longer 

the many rural and small communities that are one to two horns away from Santa 

]>eople, it is virtually impossible to schedule a flight before three o'clock in the 

of the need to ride more than pne bus, and often a taxi as well. 

Cbunty and its private sector partners are working diligently to get airline service. They 

ri: bhey arid services to the effoirt. Please suppbrt their efforts with a Small Community 

Devel( )pment Program grant. : 

Partner-.--;'-;- ^^•^.;,..•.•,:•;/-:;/^.•...,',•--.-:;••. .-•-;-,.:.:....:•,,--.•.•:-••. 

Manager, Sononia County Airport, VIA E-Mail: JStout.SpnomaCountyAirport.org 

41iAv in aouievv .^onro Rc^so CA 95 . 707-678-5344 FAX 707-5/3--