Document text
--> --> Talent proposal for Metro Air to get second look By Maggie McGehee Ashland Daily Tidings The Metro Air One board of directors has decided to take a second look at the City of Talent's recommended restrictions on routine area patrols over the city as part of Talent's participation in the police helicopter program. A delegation of three Talent city councilors - Don Steyskal, Jodi Riker-Yap and Brian Roberts - attended the Metro Air One board meeting earlier this week, pleading the city's case to board members who originally said that abiding by the city's restrictions would place flight crew members and ground officers in danger. "We just cleared up some misunderstanding and they are going to put together an intergovernmental agency agreement and then we'll look at it and see if it flies," Steyskal said today. "There was a lot of misunderstanding that was cleared up ... There are more factors than just us and them that come into play. I am sure we can work them all out." The majority of discussion between the councilors and the Metro Air One board of directors centered on the routine patrol aspect of the program, in which the helicopter serves as an airborne patrol vehicle, flying over the city while waiting on a call. The Metro Air One police helicopter program serves communities in the Rogue Valley in exchange for the different municipalities contributing money toward fuel and maintenance costs, as each city's budget allows, and provides a police officer once a week for training and patrols. The city's helicopter advisory committee recommended the council participate in the program as long as both sides sign a contract stipulating that the helicopter pilots will conduct routine patrols only over the east side of Highway 99, that the pilots only use the spotlight in life-threatening or potentially life-threatening situations, and that pilots fly 500 feet higher on patrols - 1,500 feet during the day and 2,200 feet at night. Also, the Metro Air One helicopter must be insured at no less than $10 million. Board members were receptive to the city's suggestions, according to Riker-Yap. "The board is going to review it and let us know what changes they want us to make," Riker-Yap said today. "It was a very comfortable meeting." A sticking point for the board is that police helicopter pilots take their directions from the air traffic control tower in Medford, Riker-Yap said. In a case where air traffic controllers direct the helicopter pilots to fly at an altitude lower than city officials would like, or over areas west of Highway 99, there could be some problems. Though there has been some strong dissent to the helicopter in town, the city cannot forbid the chopper from flying. But by maintaining participation in the program and keeping a Talent representative on the program's board of directors, the city will at least have some control over the helicopter's flights and uses, officials said. Only the Federal Aviation Administration can dictate where helicopters and planes can fly over cities and at what height. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing