By Becky Polaski

Staff Writer

During the first of four City budget meetings earlier this week, Airport Authority Chairman Vic Straub approached city council requesting a $50,000 budget for the Airport for 2010.

This would be a $15,000 increase from the Airport’s budget this year.

Straub provided council members with background information on the airport and the expenses and revenue that are generated throughout the year.

He then asked to be included in the budget for what a quarter mill would generate, which is $50,000.

“This figure is only one percent of the $5 million asset value of the Airport,” Straub said. “We feel this is a needed budget value to maintain a safe and efficient airport, as well keep complying to all FAA and PennDOT Aviation standards.”

Mayor Sally Geyer noted that the city currently gives the airport $35,000 a year. She then questioned Straub and airport manager Joe Bologna with regard to the actual number of local individuals who utilize the airport on a regular basis.

“You have a $5 million asset out there,” Straub said. “Do you think $50,000 is too much to spend on an asset like that and keep it in the condition that it is in and have it available for businesses and industries? Is St. Marys an aggressive community or a regressive community? I think it is becoming a regressive community.”

Straub stated that many communities would love to have an airport like the one in St. Marys, but are unable to build one because of the high cost.

Councilman Dick Dornisch responded that organizations should be happy to even receive the same amount of money they were budgeted in 2009 and should not be expecting large increases such as the one Straub requested. Dornisch also cited the high unemployment in the area and the lack of funding available to even consider approving such a request.

“This is what our request is,” Straub said. “What we receive from the city is what we’re going to have to live with. But this is our request and I understand that the present economic conditions are poor but I’m just being realistic as to what we need to run the airport.”

Council members inquired about the possibility of raising the fee for the rental of hangers at the airport. Councilman Tom Farley argued that, in particular, the hanger rental fee for members of the Elk Flyers Club needed to be raised. The airport currently has an agreement with the Elk Flyers Club that dictates their hanger rental fee since they constructed the hanger themselves and raised money to pay for it. Straub noted that members of the club also assist with other areas of the airport on a regular basis.

Farley was unhappy that the Flyers Club is only currently paying $60 a month for hanger rental.

“Vic, I think that is a pitiful amount,” Farley said. “I don’t care whether they volunteered and contributed whatever they did. The reason I’m saying that is because there are many volunteers that contributed many hours of labor and many hours of expense on their own to build the Bavarian Hills Golf Course. I’ll bet if I went out, which I have not done, but I’ll bet if I went out and talked to any one of those pass holders that were very active in the construction of that course, I’ll bet I’ll find out that none of those members gets a free ride every year. They probably wind up paying, as a single member, $560 a year. So why can’t the Elk Flyers do the same thing? Why can’t the Elk Flyers pay a reasonable amount of money instead of a pitiful amount of $60 a month rent? There are 22 flyers in here. That $60 amounts to less than $3 a piece.”

Bologna reiterated that the airport has a signed agreement with the Flyers Club that dictates the amount they are required to pay for rent.

“Well then I think it is time to cancel the agreement and move on to something else,” Farley said.

“We stick to our word,” Bologna said in response to Farley’s comments.

Farley asked to see a copy of the agreement, which Bologna said he would provide. Bologna also invited all members of council to visit the airport to get a better understanding of how the organization operates.

Geyer also asked City Manager Dave Greene what would happen if the city decided to shut down the airport.

Greene responded that the city would still be required to maintain the facility for a period of 10 years from the date of the last grant that the airport received. Greene added that the airport is currently still receiving grants.

Following Straub’s presentation, Clythera Hornung addressed council on behalf of the Shade Tree Commission. She noted that the commission was not asking for an increase and requested the $11,000 they were allotted in 2009. She also discussed how the funding is used and some of the projects that are currently being worked on by the commission.

The final presentation of the night was given by Dan Hepner on behalf of the RDA. Hepner requested $5,000 for their 2010 budget. He also detailed how the authority spent the $3,500 they were budgeted this year and discussed some of the projects that they have planned for the future.