Update: 2/21/10 (Denver Post): Longmont airport starts Monday with extermination of prairie dogs at Vance Brand Airport
Update: 2/21/10 (Examiner.com): Longmont airport to start trapping prairie dogs
Update: 2/18/10 (Times Call): The trap is set: Longmont airport prairie dog extermination plan begins
Update 12/18/09 (Examiner.com): Despite peition drive, prairie dog fence removed
Read the history of the ongoing Longmont Airport Prairie dog issue: Longmont Examiner's ongoing coverage of the Longmont Airport's prairie dog issue
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Tonight at the Longmont City Council meeting, Councilmember Mary Blue brought up the issue of the Longmont Airport prairie dog problem. She was reiterating the concerns made by the Airport Advisory board that when the city is discussing the prairie dog management as part of the Wildlife Management Plan, that the airport was noted as not being differentiated from any other city public facility such as a city park or a golf course, etc and she would like that issue followed up on at future council meetings.
Also, last month at the Longmont Airport Advisory Board meeting, board members (in response to a letter they received from the FAA) voted unanimously to recommend "notifying the FAA that the airport prairie dog fence will be removed and all prairie dogs will be dispatched according to the existing guidelines. The AAB recommends that the city should do what ever is necessary to prevent re-infestation of the airport."
Click here to read the minutes from the Longmont Airport Advisory Board meeting of 9/259/09 (scroll down to page 66)
FAA: Lose rodents or lose funds - Letter to city states prairie dog fences at Vance Brand hazardous(Times Call 9/22 article)
Time for tough call on airport prairie dogs (Times Call editorial 9/25/09)
© Brigette Rodriguez/Longmont Examiner
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Comments
Mrs. Rodriguez: That is a fence that won't keep anything out. Besides, prairie dogs burrow! I was part of a multifaceted ad hoc committee including the state's Exec. Director of the Division of Wildlife, that set out to fight federal designation of the black-tailed prairie dog (actually prairie RAT) as either an "endangered" or "threatened" species. You "eliminate" 100 and wait ten hours; you'll have 200 more. Not so endangered! <><><> I wanted to let you know I regret alarming you with my only previous post here, in your electronic parlor. I am learning that you (and your husband) are not mean, crazy, or otherwise repugnant at all. Please accept my apology and regards.
Thanks Greg for the comment...this was a costly experiment that failed. To appease a few vocal prairie dog advocates. To see the airport advisory board vote unanimously to recommend it's removal speaks volumes. And re: the comment about my husband and I, we both have Longmont's interest at heart and you have no idea the names we get called. Usually it's from a small loud group who don't take the time to listen to what is actually being said and like to mislabel us both and stand firm behind those we are showing need to be held accountable for mistakes in our city. We actually are part of a ever growing group of Longmont writers who have been studying the inner workings of city council for quite some time.
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