Vt. council reverses position on F-35s at airport
Jul 9, 2013, 3:22 AM
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) – The City Council in the Vermont city that is home to Burlington International Airport has reversed a decision it made last year to oppose plans by the Air Force to base F-35 fighter planes there with the Vermont National Guard.
The South Burlington council voted 3-2 Monday night in favor of having the F-35s at the airport.
Last year, the council voted 4-1 to oppose bringing the planes to Vermont, largely because of the noise the planes are said to make. But on Town Meeting Day in March, two city councilors who voted against the planes were replaced by councilors thought to support it.
The council’s vote is not binding. The secretary of the Air Force is expected to decide this fall whether to base the F-35s in Vermont or elsewhere.
Residents of nearby Winooski also held a public meeting Monday. The council postponed further consideration of the issue until Wednesday.
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