Threat to cut funds causes sparks to fly
'We're trying to get an airline working out there,' a commissioner said.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Sparks flew Thursday when the Western Reserve Port Authority's lawyer questioned Trumbull County Commissioner James Tsagaris over his threat to withdraw funding to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
Atty. Daniel Keating is concerned about comments Tsagaris made that he would like to see about $400,000 in annual county lodging tax funds withheld from the port authority until a Federal Aviation Administration investigation is complete.
The investigation was prompted by a complaint from ReadyAir, one of the fuel-handling and service providers at the airport. ReadyAir and the port authority have been mired in legal and other disputes in recent months.
Keating said the FAA is required to investigate ReadyAir's complaint from late last year. "If there is any action taken by the FAA, it would be in the nature of, 'You've got to adjust some rates,'" he said.
Tsagaris told Keating he isn't so much concerned with the FAA. He said he wants to see financial information about airport operations because he thinks something "fishy" is going on.
"Four or five years ago I've been asking for the books from the airport, and I still haven't received them," Tsagaris said, his voice rising and his face red. "I'm not talking about ReadyAir. I'm talking about the airport."
Tsagaris asked Steve Bowser, the airport's director of aviation, whether he'd sent him "the books."
"We send financials every month," Bowser responded.
"What we should do is have an audit," Tsagaris said.
"We have one every year," Bowser replied.
"I haven't seen it," Tsagaris said.
Bowser and Keating promised to turn over any audits or other financial information Tsagaris wants.
Commissioners Dan Polivka and Paul Heltzel both said they are not prepared to cut off airport funding.
"This is not the commissioners. This is Commissioner Tsagaris. I am not asking to dissolve the funding. I'm asking to hold it," Tsagaris said.
Polivka said Thursday that he wasn't prepared to hold back airport funding. "I feel we should support what's going on out there," he said.
New airline
Keating reminded commissioners that Allegiant Air is preparing to start scheduled service from the airport to Florida on May 19. "Terminating funding can send the wrong message -- not just to Allegiant but to anybody else to the effect that there isn't support from the community for the airport," Keating said.
"I would urge this board not to hold up funding because of a dispute with a vendor that is not paying rent," Keating said, adding that ReadyAir now owes more than $20,000. ReadyAir has not been paying its rent and other fees since September, saying it is putting the money in escrow.
Polivka said he would like to see information on five-year plans and "other reports of the past that haven't been shared with us."
Officials recently learned of a 2001 report by a consultant that was critical of the fueling costs being charged by Winner Aviation, which at the time was the only fuel handler and service provider at the airport.
Preferential treatment alleged
ReadyAir has complained to the port authority and to the FAA that Winner receives preferential treatment from the authority. A hearing on a lawsuit filed by ReadyAir to halt its eviction for nonpayment of rent is scheduled March 8 in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
"I think any action to limit funding at this time would be premature," Heltzel said before the meeting. "We're trying to get an airline working out there."
County Auditor Adrian Biviano said $377,000 in Trumbull County lodging taxes last year were paid to the port authority, which receives a monthly check.
runyan@vindy.com