Hanni votes no on lease extension

The port authority did not announce any details on finding another air carrier.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
BOARDMAN -- In his first meeting as a Western Reserve Port Authority member, Don L. Hanni Jr. shook up the status quo a bit by voting against a routine matter on the extension of a Winner Aviation lease.
Afterward, Hanni, an attorney and former Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman, said he only voted no because he wanted more time to study the lease extension and because the agreement with Winner Aviation is for 10 years.
"We don't know that the airport will be in existence" in 10 years, he said. He added he didn't having anything against Winner Aviation specifically.
The other members of the board voted to approve the new lease except for Mike Harshman, who abstained.
The lease calls for Winner to pay $205,466 for leasing space in 2006 and increases over the 10 years. The company provides services to aircraft. Steve Bowser, the airport's director of aviation, said the company's current lease calls for $165,000 annually.
The Mahoning County commissioners appointed Hanni and Patrick Pellin to the port authority board positions in late October. Their appointments were effective immediately and will run until Dec. 31, 2006, for the unexpired terms of William Kelley and William Reali, respectively.
Pellin works with his father's ambulance company, Pellin Ambulance Service Inc. of Youngstown, as director of marketing.
Still no carrier
While the topic of finding a new carrier for the airport did not come up at the meeting, critics say that is the most important issue facing the port authority and that it is critical that officials take action soon to find one.
The airport has been without a carrier since Vacation Express quit offering leisure flights from the airport in September 2004. Flights using the airport at this time are limited to charters to Atlantic City and private airplanes.
Pan Am Clipper Connection was supposed to begin flights in October, but that service never got started in part because of a dispute over $250,000 in marketing money between the Western Reserve Port Authority and the airline.
Bowser and port authority members have repeatedly said in recent months that a new carrier would be coming to the airport soon, and that an airline would announce plans when that time comes. Privately, some airport observers say the reason no carrier has been found is that the port authority has failed to market the airport effectively.
Other business
In other business, the port authority listened to a report from Duane L. Johnson of R.W. Armstrong, the port authority's consultant. He reported that the airport's master plan should be ready for a second public hearing in July and completed shortly thereafter.
He also reported that repairs have been made to water lines at the airport and that repairs are likely on sewer lines. About 3,200 feet of new fencing has been completed out of 5,000. He also said his company is preparing a draft request for proposals for building and operating T-hangars at the airport. They should be ready to put out to bid in January, he said.
runyan@vindy.com