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A much-needed electrical utility center may soon replace a beloved private airport south of Seattle. A local utilities manager, himself a pilot, who helped make the call says there's no better option. Mark Flury, a pilot based at another airport, told the Seattle Times he understands the turmoil the closure of First Air Field in Monroe, Washington, will cause. However, he believes the 36-acre parcel is ideal for centralizing Snohomish County Public Utility District's electrical distribution services. Geoffrey Monroe, the city's mayor and a hangar renter at First Air Field, disagrees but acknowledges there is little he or his council can do about it.
The utilities district is offering $7 million to the family of late former owner Dr. Daryl Habich for the site. For the district, the property is ideal. “The history of the site is important, but for us it’s really about finding a place that’s a good spot for our crews and a good spot for future growth for the county,” Public Utility District spokesperson Aaron Swaney told the Times. “We have to meet that growth and we have to have facilities that can do that.”
Local pilots lament life without the field will not be the same. “Yes, it’s had a private component, but it’s also a public good,” Mayor Thomas told the Times. “A place that helps keep us connected—not a place with a 6- or 8-foot-high fence that keeps us out.” Thomas said although city zoning allows for the utility center, he fears a large compound of equipment storage and offices will be out of place in an area oriented towards tourism. He acknowledges the need for such facilities given that it is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state but wishes another location had been found. Fellow pilot Flury mentioned they considered ten other places before settling on this airport.
