Airport to approach city officials about money
By JOLENE CRAIG jcraig@newsandsentinel.comWILLIAMSTOWN Members of the Wood County Airport Authority for the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport will attend the July 14 Parkersburg City Council meeting in the hopes council will approve to give the airport a monetary donation.
Airport manager Terry Moore said the airport will appeal to council one more time for support.
"Council members said they might reconsider a monetary gift if other cities donated," Moore said. "Since then we have had two cities step up."
In May, council rejected a resolution to dole out $20,000 for the regional airport by a 5-4 vote.
Parkersburg Mayor Bob Newell said last month he felt the vote failed because several council members were concerned that no other municipality in the area contributes to the airport.
In the weeks since, the airport has been given a $500 token gift by Williamstown City Council and $2,500 from Vienna City Council.
"We have hope that now Parkersburg might give us something," Moore said.
Tom Joyce, Parkersburg City Council Finance Committee chairman, would not give an official statement Tuesday, but did vote to approve the $20,000 for the airport in May.
"I wouldn't feel comfortable talking about it in a public setting without first talking to council," Joyce said.
Moore said the donations are not so much about money, which the airport is desperate for due to rising costs and repairs needed, but more about the show of support from the Mid-Ohio Valley.
"We want to know that the cities appreciate us," he said.
Williamstown Mayor Jean Ford, Vienna Mayor David Nohe and Newell have all stated how important the airport is for the community.
"The airport brings in businesses," Ford said. "When Hino was looking at our area, one of the first things they asked about was if there was an airport close by."
It is unknown if the airport members will be asking council for a specific amount or if they will leave it up to council to decide what constitutes as an appropriate gift.
Board members expected to be at the July 14 council meeting are Moore, president John Pfalzgraf and Wood County Commissioner Wayne Dunn.
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myopinionmatters
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07-02-09 8:23 AM
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Hobie has hit the nail on the head. With the outrageous costs of flying to/from the airport, it's easier and cheaper to fly out of Charleston or Columbus. Maybe if they'd reduce the costs, more people would use it. More customers=more revenue. Common sense to everyone except the airport powers-that-be.
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Hobiedan
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07-01-09 8:56 PM
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The airport has outlived its Commercial life. It is too easy to drive to Charleston or Columbus, and save a ton of money. Time to let it go. It should just be a general aviation facility.
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elviscole
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07-01-09 7:22 PM
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How many flights per week to/from this 'airport'?
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WVUROCKS
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07-01-09 3:09 PM
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I think I will go to the same council meeting and ask for a monetery donation so I can afford to pay my raising water/sewer bill and the police fees that really don't go to the police dept. I don't think I will get the same answer the airport does.
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WVExpatriate
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07-01-09 11:21 AM
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The local governments have to support the airport if they want it to stay in operation. It's common practice for small municipal airports country wide to receive funding support from the communities they serve. Most can't generate the revenue to be a stand alone operation, but provide a very important service to the community for transportation and are required for businesses to locate in the communities they serve. If the community wasn't want to have the benefit of an airport then they can close it, but they can't stay on the fence. Support it and it continues to serve the area, don't support it and it so no longer in operation.
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JCB1964
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07-01-09 8:54 AM
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Wouldn't give an official statement, but, voted for,....that's pretty official. All one has to do is go back and look at the council votes. HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST THE CITIZENS WITHOUT JOBS?????
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tubaman
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07-01-09 7:54 AM
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I want to know that my city appreciates ME, too! I think I'll ask for a donation at the next council meeting.
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