Resident Chris Jansen tells council not to let Manchester airport “wither away and die”

Chris Jansen, who identified himself as living at 405 North Franklin Street, used the public-input period to sharply criticize recent council action on the municipal airport. "I've never been so disappointed and disgusted embarrassed by three members of this Council," Jansen said, naming three members he blamed for overturning what he described as a 15-year planning effort.

Jansen told the council that the airport commission had presented plans for resurfacing a runway at a discounted cost and that more than 50 letters supported keeping the airport. He said council members focused on "eminent domain which has never been a priority of the airport commission" and accused them of making "assumptions and false accusations with no interest in talking with the airport commission." He added that some council members appeared inclined to let the city-owned airport "wither away and die," a move he said would hurt Manchester's recreational and business attractions.

The council did not respond with a policy decision during the public-comment period; the mayor closed the public-input portion and moved on to the consent agenda. The mayor and staff later noted there is an airport-committee meeting and a special joint council/airport-committee work session scheduled this week, and asked that any documents be provided to staff by 11 a.m. the next day so they could be included on that agenda.