Published November 09, 2009 11:12 pm - The Ashtabula County Airport Authority continues to whittle away at expenses as it tries to end the year with a loss of no greater than $110,000.
Airport panel looks at $110,000 loss
DENMARK TOWNSHIP — The Ashtabula County Airport Authority continues to whittle away at expenses as it tries to end the year with a loss of no greater than $110,000.
That’s the amount of money the Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners agreed to give the airport in June, after it appeared as if the airfield would have to close because of falling revenues tied to the recession.
“At the rate we’re going, we’ll be pretty close to the $110,000 loss we told commissioners we’d have, not that we’re trying to get there,” President David Price told the authority board during its meeting Monday.
Three weeks ago, the authority cut employees to 32-hour workweeks to conserve funds. Price said employees will have to be very flexible as they must keep the airport open according to the terms of their agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration and still try to hold the line on expenses.
In addition to cutting employee hours, the airport authority has shuttered the office on Sundays.
“It is unattended on Sunday; there’s no business to justify (its being open),” Price said.
The authority is looking at every expense, from trash collection to utility costs, from auditing to fuel purchases, in an attempt to run a leaner operation. Price told the board that First Energy has cut power to several hangars that do not have occupants, saving the authority about $300 a month.
He said the authority’s annual audit costs $8,000, and Price is researching its necessity.
“It’s a huge amount of money,” said Price, who figures the airport needs to sell 10,000 gallons of gasoline to make that much money.
“I just look at the amount of money you got to pay for it, and 10,000 gallons is a lot of gas when you only sell 30,000 gallons a year.”
On the subject of fuel sales, Price said the airport had a good October on jet fuel sales, thanks to a single 1,800-gallon sale, amounting to about $9,000. However, for 100-octane aircraft gasoline sales, the airport sold only 1,700 gallons, the worst October sales figure in 11 years.
Price expects this soft market for fuel to continue, which could mean sustained need for financial input from the county in 2010. Price said he wants to set up a work session with commissioners in the near future so they can discuss the financial outlook for the airport.
Airport authority seeks donors
The Ashtabula County Airport Authority is looking for people who would like to accept the challenge of a donor with deep pockets.
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