August 12, 2013; Joel Banner Baird; Burlington Free Press
Most, but not all of the Burlington residents who spoke during the public comments period at Monday night’s City Council meeting argued against the basing of advanced F-35 fighter planes at the Vermont Air National Guard.
Detractors of the “bed-down” proposal cited environmental, economic, legal, safety and health risks posed by the new warplane — and suggested that Burlington exercise caution in the face of those risks.
A failure to speak out against the action in advance of a final basing decision by the Pentagon could result in “a horrendous and irreparable mistake,” resident Paul Fleckenstein warned the council.