Folks in Great Falls and Cascade County have a chance to protect the area outside the base runway at Malmstrom AFB by passing a bond issue.

Basically, the vote will give the Cascade County Commission permission to sell up to $3.265 million in General Obligation Bonds to be used to purchase real property rights around the outside of Malmstrom AFB in the area called the Accident Potential Zone (APZ). By purchasing these real property rights, this will help prevent development in the area on the land leading up to and around (the approach) to the runway. By keeping it wide open and undeveloped, the runway will look more enticing for future missions. Encroachment is a big issue around several military installations. It’s a safety issue.

I say, vote YES.

The economic impact of Malmstrom AFB to the Great Falls area is tremendous. While I am a firm believer that the economic impact to a community is not a valid reason to keep a military base open, I strongly believe protecting the area outside the runway from development will help save the runway for future use, be it military, civilian, or for some other government agency. Plus, it sends a signal to the Department of Defense that Great Falls and Cascade County will do what it takes to obtain another mission.

With one-quarter of the missile mission recently removed, and with the future of the base as a missile wing and obtaining future missions in question due to the lack of Congressional clout, I believe Malmstrom backers need to be looking into the future and outside the box for missions from aerospace companies, other governments agencies, and the civilian sector to fill the void if/when the remaining missiles are decommissioned and if the base is permanently closed.

The supporters of the bond issue called, “Citizens Protecting Our Runway” have a website for further information. Listed on the website are many organizations that support the bond. In the past, Malmstrom supporters have taken several different approaches to protect the future of Montana’s only active Air Force Base. I applaud the action of this group and it’s good to see the different organizations and people within these organizations unified.

Vote Yes on the Cascade County Bond Issue!