‘Why Wait?’: Stamper Fields Criticism From Toledo Residents Demanding Opposition to Airport Expansion

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After the South Lewis County Airport was officially added to a state shortlist for potential expansion, Toledo residents ratcheted up the pressure for county commissioners to publicly voice their opposition. 

In a chaotic meeting held by Citizens for Responsible Aviation in Toledo on Wednesday, Commissioner Gary Stamper fielded a barrage of questions and criticism.

Stamper stuck to his messaging that the small airport has no chance of being picked by the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC), and that keeping its name in the running could instead free up funding for smaller projects. But when he said he wanted to wait until after CACC’s meeting later this month before making any decisions, Stamper was met with a chorus of, “why wait?”

“I would actually like to hear the information,” Stamper said. 

Residents pleaded with Stamper, insisting that the risk is too high and that major expansion would ruin the rural area. Later that night, in a letter to commissioners that echoed many of the concerns raised during the meeting, Toledo resident Scott Seroshek argued that expansion would lead to pollution, crime and traffic, and that many residents would pack up and leave.

“Do you think anybody lives in Lewis County because they want any of those big city, urban problems? This is clearly a case of profiting by those not directly impacted,” he wrote. “If you have any respect for the residents in the county you represent, now is the time to publicly remove endorsement from the Toledo airport expansion.”

According to CACC, any airport selected to support Sea-Tac-level traffic would require up to 4,600 acres of land. And even though the CACC is also looking at smaller airports to provide supplemental support, those would also require 1,000-2,000 acres. 



“Well, Toledo has 95 acres. So first off, it’s not a possibility,” Stamper told the crowd. He noted that the county is interested in getting funding to add hangars or enhance security at the airport. “There is quite a bit of money out there for airports. So we felt like this is a good way to leverage some funding.”

CACC has also noted that the shortlist of six locations is still preliminary, since public engagement was largely stifled by the pandemic. But residents such as Joh Jones are still wary, questioning why Toledo’s airport would be on such a small list if there wasn’t a significant chance of it being selected. 

When Stamper told residents that he only knows what the public knows, he was met with more criticism from residents arguing he should actively seek out information given the potentially major impacts expansion could have in his district. 

“All I’m asking for is clear, accurate, concise information so that people can be informed and either support or not support,” resident Larry Davidson said.

But the commissioner described the process as still in its early stages. Earlier that day, the two newly-elected county commissioners Sean Swope and Lindsey Pollock received their first official update on the situation. CACC has also extended its deadline for choosing a location and developing a plan from 2022 to 2024.

One resident, Michael Messmore, voiced support for controlled expansion of the airport, saying it would make it easier for family members to visit. 

He was quickly drowned out by dissenting voices.