Lost Nation Regional Aviation Association

Our gole is to continue communicating the importance of the Lost Nation Airport to the people making the immediate and future decisions: Willoughby City Council and Lake County Commissioners. Also, communicate to everyone the existence of LNRAA and ask them to support us.

On Jan 23rd we held our first meeting to review the announcement by the mayor that he would recommend closing LNN, and on Jan 30th we held a follow up meeting. At the Jan 30th meeting, I proposed a strategy to get our user group established and promised we would try to get this accomplished within 30 days. Here's what we've done.

• We established a name for our user group: Lost Nation Regional Airport Association. We have new logo, office phone, fax and office in terminal building.
• We have incorporated under that name as a non-profit organization.
• We have established seven "interim" trustees, only to establish the corporation; actual trustees to be elected at annual meeting.
• We appointed an "interim" Finance Committee Chairman: Gary Swanson. Finance committee is preparing economic alternatives to reduce current operating losses, and to establish future ways to increase airport revenues.
• We appointed an "interim" Membership/Promo/Media Committee; Chairmen: Ron Bruening, Ben Howes and Doug Leikala. They have created a membership drive campaign, with a membership mailing list of over 1400 individuals. We hope to have this membership campaign kicked off next week.
• We have made our presence known to and met with FAA, ODOT/Aviation, AOPA, NBAA, County Commissioners, Willoughby council persons, Mayor Anderson, and U.S. Representative Steve LaTourette.
• We have reviewed four differnt studies of the airport prepared for or by the city that supported keeping this asset operating.
• We are preparing a list of proposals on how best to retain the airport both short term and long term.
• We have found at least two companies committed to building new hangars, and have two companies interested in looking at becoming additional FBOs at LNN.
• We have established a central office in the LNN terminal building.
• Come see our "new" office at the terminal. While there, please sign up for volunteer/committee work; sign up sheets in the office.
• We need any donations of office furnishings you may have. What we need are: filing cabinets, eight foot tables, chairs, desk or two, bulletin boards, a 486 or better computer w/Windows installed. Please call Jenny Tominack to schedule what you might want to drop off.
• If you have services to donate please call us. We need: volunteers to stuff envelopes, run mailing lists on computer, maintain files, open mail, etc. Fred Fillinger has volunteered to set up the books, checking acct.

I know a lot of you want to know how you can help. As I pointed out in our previous two meetings, we have to get our group established and recognized before we can do much. That process has been started. The next immediate steps are:

1. Complete membership drive
2. Set up books, checking acct
3. Create By-laws
4. Get committees running
5. Make our proposals to city and commissioners
6. Hold general meeting

We expect all of the above to be completed in four weeks or less.

We will be keeping in touch as best as we can in this interim period. In the meantime:

Continue communicating the importance of LNN to the people making the immediate and future decisions: Willoughby City Council and Lake County Commissioners. Also, communicate to everyone the existence of LNRAA and ask them to support us. Please stop by the office and drop off your suggestions and ideas.

My thanks to all to date for all of their volunteer assistance, suggestions and ideas.