Harrietstown officials ask FAA about airport closure
By CHRIS KNIGHT, Enterprise Senior Staff WriterSARANAC LAKE - If the town of Harrietstown wanted to close the Adirondack Regional Airport in Lake Clear, the town would have to stop accepting federal funds for the facility and continue operating it for another 20 years, before it could be legally shut down.
That's what town officials were told last week during a meeting with representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration, according to town Supervisor Larry Miller.
Although the current town board has no plans to shut down the airport, Miller and Deputy Supervisor Barry Defuria had promised to ask FAA officials what steps they'd have to take to close the town-run facility during a budget hearing last month. Several residents at the hearing were upset with a double-digit tax levy increase, much of which was blamed on a drop-off in revenue at the airport, and suggested the town consider shutting down the facility unless it can get more financial support from neighboring townships and Essex and Franklin counties.
But town officials feared that if the airport was closed or no longer provided commercial passenger service, they may have to pay back a portion of the $12 million in federal funds that have been used to upgrade the facility.
Town and airport officials traveled to Long Island last week to outline their five-year capital improvement plan to the FAA. At the end of the meeting, they asked about closing the airport, although FAA officials were expecting the question, Miller said.
"They knew about it," he said. "One of the senior guys from the FAA said 'we understand you guys are talking about closing the airport.' Somebody from Saranac Lake, I don't know who, had apparently sent them clippings about it, so they were prepared for the question."
If the airport was to be shut down, town officials were told that they wouldn't have to pay back any of the federal funds the facility has received. Instead, Miller said a majority of the board would have to approve a resolution telling the FAA the town will no longer accept federal funds for the airport.
"After that, the town would have to operate and maintain the airport with no federal or state funding for a period of 20 years before we could legally close the doors," Miller said.
The lack of federal funding would mean the airport would not be able to maintain commercial passenger service, which is currently subsidized through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Essential Air Service program. It also means some of the airport's current staff would have to be laid off, Miller said.
"The minute you don't get any federal funding, you can't operate it the way its been operated," Miller said. "It would probably be a gradual process, but we'd have to keep the doors open for 20 years to complete that legal obligation."
Miller said the information they received only came from conversations with FAA officials; the town has asked the agency to put it in writing.
While town officials asked about closing the airport, it's clear they have no plans to do so right now.
"At this point, from talking to all the members of the town board, they're not inclined to close the airport," Miller said.
The town had expected $1.4 million in jet fuel revenues this year but has only collected $873,000 as of this week. The decrease has been blamed on a drop-off in private and corporate jet traffic at the airport, especially this summer. In next year's budget, the town cut airport expenses by $418,000 and is expecting $411,000 less in revenue.
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Capital projects
The town board signed off on the five-year capital improvement plan for the airport Monday night.
The plan includes $765,000 in projects for 2010, although the town's share would be $19,125. The town is planning to update its wildlife management plan, conduct a drainage study, replace a front-end loader and design an expansion of the town's aircraft rescue and fire fighting building. The expansion of the building itself, which would cost $2.3 million, is the only project on the town's wish list for 2011.
While the federal funding isn't guaranteed, the FAA approved the town's capital improvement plan last week.
Miller said it's important to continue to upgrade the airport.
"It is a viable service to the community and has a $15 million economic impact on the Tri-Lakes," he said.
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Contact Chris Knight at 891-2600 ext. 24 or cknight@adirondackdailyenterprise.com.
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Outlaw63446
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12-24-09 9:49 AM
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Well Philips, you may think it is a business deal, and a reasonable agreement. You may even beleive that the FAA runs on user fees exclusively, and not taxes. The fact that you missed my point entirely, is probaly my fault. My point was, to study wildlife and drainage, and to expand a fire station that is probably already more than adequate, just because the money is "free" is IRRESPONSIBLE. Do something meaningful with the money, or leave it alone. As a 30 year commercial pilot, I know how the system works, I just can't get on board with poorly managed airport development funds, or any other kind of funds. Build meaningful stuff that you need, not what you find on a "wish list".
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TourPro
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12-24-09 9:45 AM
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I would say the tourism impact of closing the airport would be negligible to none.
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dalemi21
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12-23-09 10:33 PM
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Just curious, is there any concern about how much tourism money would be lost in the area if the airport was shut down, or is it not an issue?
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TruLiberShultz
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12-23-09 7:58 PM
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The amount of taxes just one of them thar richies pay because they can fly into their camp here would surprise you. Do not kill this goose that lays, and contributes, the golden egg upon which we feed. Demand a surcharge to users without residences inside Harrietstown - complements of their "beggar thy neighbor" governments. The Town of North Elba golf course (Craig Wood) does - just one example for which there is considerable precedent in principle.
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Phillips
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12-23-09 7:15 PM
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If you're going to speak out about the system, it would be wise to make an effort to understand the system first. The FAA's Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is funded entirely by user fees from airport users across the nation and not a single dollar of tax money. The fds pay 95% of capital construction for most airports, with a 5% match required from the airport. Every time an airport sponsor (city, county, whoever owns the airport) accepts a federal grant, it accepts and signs a list of grant assurances. One of those assurances is that the airport agrees to maintain the property as a public use airport for 20 years. That essentially is the life of a pavement section, which is what a good majority of AIP grants are for. It's a business deal and a reasonable agreement. The FAA has been exceedingly clear about these commitments over the years. You can find all the grant assurances at ****faa.gov. Merry Christmas.
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sdstevenspe
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12-23-09 6:22 PM
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There are already user fees, it is called fuel tax. Note the comment about fuel revenue and how it has fallen. All airports collect a local flowage fee for each gallon pumped. A big Gulfstream can use 3000 gals, some counties get $0.30 per gallon. When the jets don't fly, the revenue dries up. Just what SLK is seeing right now.
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Outlaw63446
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12-23-09 4:52 PM
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It's the old, "if we don't tke the money, someone else will" syndrome. We just can't wean our government off this illness. The Town's share of $765,000 will be $19,000??? I'll bet, if the FAA wasn't there with the bag of taxpayer money, and Town residents had to pay for it all, this "wish list" would quickly evaporate. Design this, study that, what a waste of our money. So, that's the way the game is played, if you take our money, you do what we say - forever. They get us all on the government teat and keep us there for life. If the FAA doesn't give all the money away, then Congress cuts them back. It's just wasted tax money going round and round. Someone has to be rational, and say "stop", "no".
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vendor
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12-23-09 4:26 PM
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Free money isn't it great.
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Walker
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12-23-09 2:21 PM
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Yes, seems to me the solution is user fees-- let the folks that use the airport pay for it. And acwolf is right, impose higher fees on out of county users if Essex County won't pick up its fair share of the tab.
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acwolff
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12-23-09 1:35 PM
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the previous year(2009) was not a travel year. (monetary reasons), i'l bet the situation will improve. it is however wrong that lp. choses not to contribute to the cost of the airport. possibly this can be rectified? (by fees for out of town usage) harrietstown does have some juristriction as the airport is being paid for by taxpayers.
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EsoxSavant
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12-23-09 12:19 PM
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Maybe the feds should just subsidize everything? It's nice to see the "heartland bonus" hitting close to home though. I suppose if you were anti-American, you would call it corporatist welfare. Funny thing though, I just read as story (elsewhere) about the FAA's xmas party. It lasted 3 WEEKS and cost taxpayers a cool 5 million. I gotta put in my resume.
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SamSpade
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12-23-09 11:26 AM
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Isn't it ironic. When you take what appears to be free money, somewhere in the fine print, is hidden the unforeseen obligation that comes with it. Faustus learned when you sell your soul to the devil he does not accept buyouts.
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iceman
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12-23-09 10:25 AM
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Close the useless Lake Placid Airport and leave Harrietstown open with LP's business.
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