cklow13

Members
  • Content

    5
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Feedback

    0%

Community Reputation

0 Neutral
  1. The Jumping Place Skydiving Center second location
  2. To all those concerned, I run The Jumping Place Skydiving Center in Saint Marys, GA; We were given permission as you will see in the attachments by the AAB in the city on June 5, 2006 to operate as a commercial skydiving facility. We've operated every weekend since that day until this one. The City of Saint Marys and the Airport Authority Board sent police officers to the Municipal Airport (publicly owned property) and said anyone skydiving onto the airfield would be arrested for Criminal Trespassing. We have had a meeting with the AAB on Monday at 3:00 PM, and we will once again as we have for months attempt to sign permits and get them to stop harassing us and denying access to the airfield. We've attempted to sign their permits, (which they will not execute) and go to their meetings. I hope that this will be resolved on Monday, but I'm very doubtful as the AAB and city have mislead everyone involved into thinking they're out for the best interest of the City and they want us here. This is not the case, but we will be at the meeting Monday, willing to execute any document they provide us with in order to protect (what we thought the FAA would) our access to a federally funded airport. Rather than attempting to resolve any issues at a scheduled meeting at 3:00pm, police officers told my customers, staff, and myself they would be arrested if they skydived on public property. This is not the action of an authority or a city that wants resolutions, it is intimidation. They've explicitly stated (as well as the police officer they brought out today) that "anyone skydiving onto the field will be arrested." We've had permission to skydive onto this field since 2006, if you cannot see this as a direct violation of Grant Assurance 22, then there is not much hope for Saint Marys or this country. They are denying skydiving (only), and any denial of general aviation without just cause is discriminatory, but if no one will protect us from their endless actions, why would they stop their actions. I'm attaching a photo of trespassing posting at our establishment that we lease from a business on field (https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B7tvsEnkr4wjN1JvdGlJMlhsckE).. I am also attaching a youtube video of the Saint Mary's Police department telling us that no skydiver can land on the field without being arrested (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a945tZH5pi0&feature=youtu.be). I'm also including three documents in reference to the approval to operate on Saint Marys Airport for the purpose of skydiving. -TJP Permissioin Letter pertains to Dick Russell the Authority Head in 2006 gives a statement regarding our permission to operate (https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B7tvsEnkr4wjcFJxemt0dkhqcnc). -SMAA Minutes 6-5-2006 is the minutes of an AAB meeting to approve skydiving operations at Saint Marys Airport (https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B7tvsEnkr4wjSURMOUhRdzgzQTA). -The email at the end is from Greg Moore a former authority member, and member during the approval time period. Closing a viable business in these economic times is wrong, denying access to a federally funded airport to general aviation is illegal. Thank you -- Cathy Kloess 912 322 7282 [email protected] 203 N Dandy St. St. Marys, GA 31558 Attach: Email from former AAB Member Greg Moore greg moore [email protected] Jul 19 (9 days ago) to me, Richard, Greg Cathy, I am a former member of the St. Marys Airport Authority dated from April 13, 1998 to July 28, 2002, and from April 26, 2004, through a December 12, 2005 reappointment, until January 2010. Much of the time I served as the Authority Secretary, took minutes of the meeting, and submitted them to the St. Marys City Clerk. These are my thoughts regarding The Jumping Place. Cathy Kloess, d/b/a The Jumping Place, was allowed to operate her business in the non-exclusive areas of St. Marys Airport just as any other noncommercial or commercial (whether home-based or transient) operator allowed without discrimination. Cathy and her business are tennants of Bird Aviation hangars. The use of the nonexclusive areas of the airport was in accordance with, and persuant to the Authority Lease with Bird Aviation, reviewed and approved by then City Attorney Terry Floyd. It is my belief that the purpose of the Airport Authority is to promote aviation use of the airport, administer land leases to home-based individuals and businesses in the best interest of the City of St. Marys, and other business as necessary to maintain the airport without regard to changing political climates. On a personal note, I spent much of my personal time observing the operation of The Jumping Place including safety briefings, legal briefings, training operations, and a airplane ride with Cathy. I also appreciate the community service The Jumping Place provides: an example was an introduction to aviation to a local Pre-K class that included demonstrations, activities and a DVD remembrance of the event for each class member. I wish you, The Jumping Place, and the many jumpers at St. Marys Airport the best. Sincerely, J. Gregory Moore Please Feel Free to Send all the members of City council, The AAB, and all others listed below emails "Johna Strickland" , "James E. Stein" , Jay Stanford , , Keith Thompson , Greg Bird , City Council Saint Marys Jim Gant , John Morrissey Saint Mary's City Council , Keith Post Saint Marys City Council , Sidney Howell Saint Mary's Councilman , "Mayor William DeLoughy 12/13" , "Frank Drane" , "Frank Frasca" , "Charles Evans" , "Chuck Garrison" , "Sands, Carla Jo" , "Ms. Carol Comer" , [email protected], [/email][/email] Also Feel free to call Airport Authority Board Head Jay Stanford: 912-882-4593 AAB Attorney Jim Stein: 912-729-3635 Saint Marys Mayor: 912-510-4041
  3. Great family atmosphere and not just because Cathy has a huge family.