Commissioner criticizes Oberlin protesters

Last Tuesday afternoon passers-by may have thought they were in the middle of the Cleveland airport as two stereo amplifiers projected the sound of cargo jets into Wilder Bowl. The amplified sound was part of the hour-long protest against the proposed airport expansion plan at Lorain County Regional Airport.

The protest rally was organized by college sophomore David Lewis, Project Coordinator of Environmental Studies Brad Masi, and college juniors Chuckie Kamm and Amy Wolf.

"The rally was organized to express concern, both on the part of the town and college, about how an airport expansion would degrade the quality of life for the community and erode the attractiveness of Oberlin College and, especially, the Conservatory of Music," said Masi.

"[The protest] turned out really well," said Lewis. "We had great media coverage."

A crowd of 50 to 60 people gathered at the Wilder front steps to listen to faculty, town residents and students speak out against the proposed expansion. Oberlin resident Nancy Roth spoke of the possible effects on all Lorain county residents. "Although expansion seems like a 'not in my backyard' issue, it's stuff that'll affect [all] our lives here," she said.

Some of these expansion issues included economic and environmental concerns as well as the potential threats to democracy. "It's an idea that gets worse with time. Freight airports don't make money. Freight airports don't make jobs and benefit a small strata of society. It's an issue of good government versus bad government," said Professor and Director of Environmental Studies David Orr.

"The Black River is a fragile ecosystem and is slowly coming back. We wouldn't want to disturb this," said David Cornicelli, chair of Seventh Generation and Environmental educational director of the Lorain County environmental group.

Many protesters are angry with the Lorain County Commissioners' lack of involvement with the Lorain citizens concerning the expansion. "If you don't turn your attention to the county government people begin running things their own way... What happens when you ignore the government it becomes a government of the few, by the few and for the few. We've got to get active with the county government," said Stephen Douglass, member of the citizens action group.

Students, town citizens and faculty gathered at a protest information table to receive background information on the expansion issue as well as to write letters to County Commissioner Betty Blair, County Commissioner Michael Ross and U.S. Representative Sherrod Brown. Forty-five minutes into the protest the table had received 64 letters.

On Dec. 2, President Nancy Dye wrote a letter to County Commissioner Michael Ross expressing her concern about the potential effects of the proposed expansion. According to the letter, "Oberlin College is deeply concerned about the potential any airport expansion holds for degrading the quality of the Lorain County environment and for causing unacceptable levels of noise pollution in this community."

Dean of the Conservatory Karen Wolff also expressed her concern for the potential noise pollution that would fill the air above the Oberlin Conservatory. "It is for us. It is for now. With the stroke of a pen we could be put out of business. Can you imagine hearing a concert and hearing these [cargo jet] noises behind you?" she said.

"There are many questions that need to be answered. Will there be public meetings? Will townships and cities closest to the airport have involvement? What are the affects on the environment? We must continue to ask questions," said Chair of the Oberlin City Council Fran Bauman.

At a County Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10, Commissioner Michael Ross referred to the participants of the rally as "uninformed dissidents," reacting "emotionally" to a non-issue. Even if true, Masi says Ross missed the point of the rally.

"These supposedly uninformed dissidents... organized the event as an opportunity to express concerns in a public assembly about an issue that will dramatically impact the quality of life not just of Oberlin, but of Lorain County," he said.

"If these are uninformed and dissident viewpoints as Commissioner Ross would have you believe, then so be it. It is our imperative as participants in a democratic society to have recourse over the issues that will affect our communities," Masi said.

Checking in: Protesters signed petitions Tuesday, voicing opposition to the proposed airport expansion. (photos by Noah Mewborn)
Making Noise: Students spoke-out against, among other things, the increased noise more air traffic would bring.