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_ i EA S assistanc e has bee n a necessar ypar to fou rairport' s continuatio n throughou tth e years . Thos e o f u s intereste d i n loca l economi cdevelopmen thav e appreciate d thi s assistance . Yet , w e understan d governmenja l assistanc e shoul d normall yno tb e foreve ran d loca l servic e entitie s suc h a s ou rairpor t •#@JW(^§ntuall yb e self-supporting . .! ^ . *-.U« , • ; . ; Inihe'pds t 3 5 year s ou rcommunit yhas remaine d byi n larg e o n a statu s qu o basis . Durin g thi s tim e Fort Dodgejia s experience d som e setbacks , bu tye talon g wit h loca l expansion s o fsevera l internationa l corporat e facilities . Throug h EA S assistanc e ou rridershi p has ha d acces s t o majo rairline s carrier s bot h nationall yan d globall ydespit e th e ol d 5:00a m departur e tim e an d al l flight s stoppin g a tanothe rcity . However , i n June , 2010 , change s wer e mad e tha tlea d t o th e curren t7:11a m departur e tim e an d non sto p servic e t o Minneapoli s whic h has dramaticall yimprove d passenge rnumbers . I n orde rt o continu e increasin g enplanement s i n th e future , w e fee l justifie d i n requestin g fou rdail yflight s fro m FortDodge . I n addition , i t i s extremel yimportan t t o kee p fare s competitiv e whil e maintainin g a n excellen t completio n factor . I fth e ne wservic e include s thes e elements , i ti s ou rsincer e hop e tha tenplanement s wil l continu e t o increas e t o th e poin t tha tEA S assistanc e i s n o longe rnecessary . I mus t als o cal l t o you rattentio n significan teconomi cdevelopment s tha tar e occurrin g currently . Withi n th e pas t 3 0 days Governo rBransta d announce d a Sout h Korea n compan yplan s t o buil d a $35 9 millio n dolla rplan t i n ou rindustria l ag . par k locate d 5 mile s wes to fFortDodge . Thi s facilit ywil l adjoi n Cargill' s estimate d $40 0 millio n dolla rstarch/ethano l plan ttha tshoul d b e operationa l withi n th e nex t1 2 months . Indication s ar e tha t combine d thes e tw o plant s shoul d provid e ove r25 0 jobs . A n increas e i n payrol l o fthi s magnrtud e certainl ywil l hav e a positiv e impac to n FortDodg e ai rridership . Further , ther e i s on e over-the-fenc e compan yi n additio n t o 2 transportatio n oriente d companie s i n contac twit h Webste rCount yecolVogii cdevelopmen t representative s currentl yintereste d i n thi s larg e ag . p^k. ^ Wit h recen t loca l economi cdevelopmen tsuccesse s i n th e forefront , pleas e b e awar e tha tHighwa y2 0 four-lan e shoul d b e complete d acros s northwes tIow a i n th e no tto o distan tfuure . Th e Iow a DO Tha s classifie d th e Highwa y2 0 four-lan e projec ta s on e o fth e to p fiv e o n it s hig h priorit ylist . Dependin g upo n significan t futur e fundin g i t i s anticipate d completio n coul d com e a s earl ya s 2018 . Thi s four-lan e connectio n betwee n Fort Dodg e an d Siou xCitywil l enhanc e enormousl yth e ridershi p "pull " i n ove ra 10 0 mil e westerl ydirection . I t i s trul yregrettabl e tha t Delt a Airline s has chose n t o leav e th e smalle rai rtransportatio n markets . Base d upo n availabl e informatio n i t appear s Grea tLake s Airline s wil l provid e th e bes treplacemen t service . I encourag e yo u t o suppor t Grea tLake s Airline s alon g wit h increase d dail yflight s plu s competitiv e pricin g an d completio n factor s Grea tLakes apparentl yi s th e bes tsuite d t o continu e th e seamles s servic e w e hav e com e t o enjo yove rth e years wit h Northwes tan d mos trecentl ywit h Delta . Wit h Grea t Lake s i n plac e an d EA S assistanc e a tleas tfo rth e tim e being , i twoul d see m ou rloca l situatio n shoul d continu e t o improve .