By CARL E. FEATHER - Staff Writer - cfeather@starbeacon.com
JEFFERSON — Ashtabula County commissioners Tuesday approved financial transactions that could make up to $130,000 available to the Ashtabula County Airport Authority for paying its bills this year.
County Budget Director James Hardin presented the transactions, which draw money from three sources, to create the appropriation.
Hardin asked commissioners to transfer $25,000 from the airport’s capital maintenance account and another $25,000 from a capital improvement account to cover $50,000 of the money. Another $80,000 was appropriated from the general fund. That amount could be subject to change, depending upon how the second-half real-estate collections go. Payment deadline is this week, and commissioners are closely watching those results, as well as sales-tax collections.
The two airport capital accounts were cleared out by the transactions. Hardin said the airport has $102,000 in a permanent improvement fund that could be used to address capital maintenance/ improvement issues. However, that money could not be used for the operating expenses that the airport authority has requested from commissioners.
The authority voted last month to close the airport, located in Denmark Township, because it has been operating in the red. Commissioners will need to come up with about $45,000 immediately to keep the airport open, plus ongoing assistance as the recession takes its toll on hangar fees and fuel sales, the airport’s main sources of revenue.
The airport authority will meet June 29 to vote on rescinding its resolution to close the facility.
