OPINION — For us old-timers, the Times Independent article (4/24/26) describing the FAA public hearings about potential air traffic path changes rings a bell. It's important for local municipalities to pay attention. The question is, is the Town of Fountain Hills?
Thanks to the forward thinking of then Mayor Dickey in 2018, the Town Council decided to hire a contracted government representative to track not only the FAA planning, but also our neighbors, including Mesa and Scottsdale, who had vested interests (airports) in the outcomes – but maybe not in the best interests of Fountain Hills. It was a smart move then to combat unwanted changes. Mayor Dickey had experience understanding process – at the Legislature, ADOT, DWR, ADEQ – and believed in strong regional intergovernmental relations. It paid off.
That contractor provided valuable insight over the next several years in a variety of other regional and state issues, including water, homelessness, legislative overreach ... you name it.
