PORT AUTHORITY Falling revenues force airport to trim its budget by $150K

The cuts are more drastic than anticipated.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
VIENNA -- Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport is cutting $150,000 from its annual budget.
The cuts, announced this morning, include layoffs and run across the spectrum of airport operations.
"I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression that we had $150,000 worth of fat that we could have gotten rid of a long time ago," said Martin Solomon, a member of the Western Reserve Port Authority board, which runs the airport. "This reduction is because we have a lot less activity and a lot less need."
Some of the cuts are already in place, said Tom Nolan, director of aviation. Others will go into effect when Northwest ends service to the airport in September. "I believe the reductions are pushing the envelope, but we can pull them off," Nolan said.
The cuts will include a 54 percent reduction in custodial services at the terminal with Goodwill Industries in Liberty. That will save the port authority $13,000 over the remainder of 2002 and $26,000 next year.
Parking contract
The port authority will also reduce its contract by 35 percent next year with U.S.A. Parking, which collects money for parking at the terminal.
The parking toll both will only be manned for three hours during charter flight arrivals. In the past, attendants had also been on hand to collect money when commercial flights arrived. The change is projected to save the airport $4,000 this year and $12,000 in 2003.
Nolan said there would also be layoffs. One of his two full-time assistants has been reduced to part time and one of six maintenance employees has been laid off.
The maintenance and operations department is responsible for clearing snow and maintaining grounds on the 14,000-acre property.
These cuts are expected to save $23,000 the rest of this year and $54,000 in 2003.
The security contracts with Vienna Police Department will be cut by 29 percent for an anticipated savings of $21,000 this year and $58,000 next year.
The size of the cut is much greater than the anticipated $35,000 loss in annual revenue when Northwest Airlines departs, leaving the airport with no regular passenger service.
Board chairman Reed Dulberger said two private companies have expressed interest in building hangars for private planes.