Spokane Officials Try To Ward Off Any Attempt To Close Fairchild

Several Spokane representatives eager to protect Fairchild Air Force Base met Friday with the Base Closure and Realignment Commission staff in suburban Washington, D.C.

The city’s business leaders have formed a task force to fight any plans the commission or the Pentagon might have for closing Fairchild, west of Spokane, as part of military cutbacks.

U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Wash., said last week that he believes the base’s future is secure, but no one wants to take any chances.

The task force has hired retired Gen. John Allen as a consultant and will raise and spend as much as $100,000 to try to protect the base and its 4,500 jobs.

Mayor Jack Geraghty, Chamber of Commerce President Larry Stanley and Chairman Rich Hadley, Momentum President David Shea and Allen joined Nethercutt in the meeting in Arlington, Va.