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Talent keeps helicopter line open City Council will send three people to talk with the Metro Air One board, after a proposed contract that restricts patrols was rejected by the service By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune TALENT - Three City Council members will attend the next Metro Air One board meeting to discuss a proposed contract, the council decided at Wednesday night's meeting. This decision comes in response to Metro Air One telling the city it won't agree to a proposed contract that places restrictions on its helicopter patrols. "Metro Air One won't sign the contract as proposed," said Central Point Police Chief Mike Sweeny. "The limitations of flight and use of equipment were of concern to us." The contract was a product of hearings conducted by Talent's Police Helicopter Advisory Committee, which was formed in August to respond to citizen complaints about the aircraft's lights, noise and flying altitudes. The proposed contract would restrict the routine patrol area to the northeast of Highway 99, raise the minimum patrol altitudes to 1,500 feet during the day and 2,200 feet at night, restrict use of the spotlight to emergencies only, and monitor citizen feedback and flight logs through the advisory committee. "If they had modified it to say, 'In the best judgment of the aircraft commander,' then we would have signed it," Sweeny said. Metro Air One is a cooperative air support unit formed in 1997 by local police agencies to assist ground patrol in several Jackson County cities, including Talent. It has been involved in such things as felony and misdemeanor arrests, search-and-rescue operations and fire spotting. City Councilman Don Steyskal, who served on the advisory committee, said he has faith a solution can be worked out. "There's some misunderstanding and some points of clarification that need to be made," he said. "We'll have to go and talk to them." Steyskal and council members Jodi Yap and Brian Roberts were appointed to speak with the Metro Air One board. "I have hopes that (Steyskal) can get it across to them that this is an active community that's asking for these changes," said Kim Cower, who also served on the advisory committee. Cower said she finds the helicopter noise so obtrusive that she'll consider moving if patrols resume without restrictions. Talent Police Chief Elmer Kammel is hopeful about the helicopter's future in the city. "We have far more people in favor of this than are against it," he said. "The council's going to have to chat with Metro Air One and figure out what they're going to do for the city. Hopefully, we won't lose the resource." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.