Tonight's meeting, here is some of the information that was discussed by Councilor Rosen. First, MassPort discussions should be wrapped up by the end of February/beginning of March and the City Manager is confident that MassPort will renew their agreement with the City of Worcester. Second, the 10,000 passenger mark, which Allegiant provided this year, has to be from commercial activity. If we do not get 10,000 commercial passengers next year, we will lose $1,000,000 in grants from the FAA.
Although I believe MassPort will renew the agreement, I ask why? This is the end of the second agreement spanning 8 years and are losses have only increased each year, currently at $2,000,000 per year, and we have no commercial service. As I have stated many times, I do not blame MassPort, in fact I thank them for keeping the doors open the past 8 years. These current agreements simply give MassPort no incentive since they will never realize any returns if they were to invest capital in the form of money or time. We need to either sell of long-term lease (99 years) ORH to MassPort.
Assuming we do get another 3 year extension, whereby ORH is responsible for a percentage of the operating losses, while paying 100% of the debt service, a loss of an additional 1,000,000 next year, if we do not hit 10,000 commercial passengers (primary airport status) will cost the the tax-payers even more.
WRRB/Telegram District City Council Forum 10/18
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This forum is for all district council candidates; all candidates are here
today. Format: 14 total questions, 4 questions across districts (for all
candida...
6 months ago
18 comments:
All that Rosen brought up has been discussed before. I want to know what is new up there.
Anonymous:
It has been discussed before that we will lose $1,000,000 in grants if we do not have 10,000 commercial passengers next year??? Although this may have been something pointed out on this blog, it has never been so clearly pointed out at a City Council meeting.
You are right about the MassPort negotiations, however, it was brought up two or three meetings ago. At the same time nothing, not the Master Plan, the RFP, nothing is more important then the negotiations when you are losing $2,000,000 per year with 7 months left in current agreement.
In fact the status of the MassPort negotiations should be brought up at every meeting. Lets hope Councilor Rosen does.
I watch the Council. It has been discussed. It came up when Allegiant had their 10,000th passenger event.The million is coming because of it. We don't lose it if we don't keep those numbers up, we just don't get another one unless we get 10,000 this year.
I think Rosen ticked the Manager off last night. In the long-run that never helps. The negotiations with Massport are not going to be discussed in public- and rightfully so.
I raised this $1M issue here months ago and I was told by another poster that we have gotten the $1M in the past w/o reaching the 10K milestone. Is this correct?
$2M annual deficit and still no one on the council (Rosen Included) mentions anything about slashing expenses. Someone please tell me this council is not in the back pocket of the muncipal employee unions?
What a farce, a joke, and a charade to call this airport a City enterprise operation!
Everyone still draws a nice paycheck w/o regard to performance and this is why we will never succeed up there.
We cannot timely finish the Common Project but we can tie up 1/2 of the City transporting a Chrsitmas tree there, we cannot finish the road to ORH but we can pay the average employee up there $100K+, and we cannot timely issue and award an RFP at ORH.
Some would call me too negative, but I call them as I see em.
The Feds give 1M to an airport if they have 10,000 passengers, and the CM said last night that the 1M is for capital-not operating. Worcester must have gotten this in the past, but won't get it again till they get 10,000.
I am sure the average employee is not paid 100k salary. If so, it is the best paid security guard, custodian liasion or accountant in the country.
I thought it said the transporting of the tree was donated by the company.
Anonymous:
It (1,000,000) came up when we hit 10,000 passengers--true. It has not been emphasized that, or should I say we have been reminded, that we are in danger of losing it next year. That was what Councilor Rosen was trying that if we do not get commercial service back, we are out 1,000,000. Again good job Councilor Rosen.
Also Jahn has pointed out that in the past we retained the 1,000,000 ven when we did not hit 10,000. The reason being the FAA gave small airports a grace period after 9/11 when many airports lost all commercial service. Evidently we know now that this will not be waived and we will be out 1,000,000.
Councilor Rosen ticked off the City Manager when he asked for the status of the MassPort negotiations??? Anonymous, how exactly do your propose City Councilor Rosen, or any councilor, ask about the status of negotiations??
Not Anonymously Yours,
Bill Randell
Anonymous, maybe I should have been more to the point. As Per either the 2004 or 2005 airport budget, we have (had) 12 employees up there and personnel costs were $1.2M. Clearly not all is salary/wage, but regardless the tab is an average $100k per.
I have asked time and agian, how many city 'ees up there and no has a defintitve answer.
Re the traveling tree: The T&G reported the tree was donated, (as it typically is every year?) but the City lowbed trailer was shown hauling it in the picture.
Ask Mass Elec. what would ever happen to them if they tied up the city for 1/2 day hauling a 30 foot wide transformer or generator across the city in the middle of a business day. They would be req'd to move it at night or on Sunday and the DPW would require advance notice and if they ever blocked the entrance to UMass or Memorial Hospital or knocked down signs or were unable to clear bridges in the process, I can assure you the Council and manager would have their proverbial +++ . Do as I say , not as I do.
there are 19 city and 5 Massport employees at the airport according to the budget.
Are these current figures since allegiant left (19) city and (5) Massport?
Anonymous:
Now I know one of the comments signed as "anonymous", while it was Jahn. Must have forgot to log-in.
This is to the original anonymous (Tom Moore was right about anonymous). Where do you find the numbers that you site of 19 city workers and 5 MassPort employees?
How the hell do we have 5 MassPort employees there?? I though the Airport Director was the only MassPort employee..
Sorry that 7th post was mine. Somehow it showed up as anonymous. Most regulars here prob. recognized it as such anyway
Anonymous, would you be good enough post a link to that budget or advise where/how we can access that info?
The only budgets that I have ever seen are all in dollars, but of course maybe I have not seen all the budgets, info, etc?
Again, if it is 19'ees and $1.2M for personnel expenses, that works out to $63K per employee and THAT IS STIIL TOO MUCH on a per employee basis.
We as a city annot continue to afford custodians, clerks, and security guards who are costing us $25 or $30 per hour when the private sector can do it for 1/2 of this.
Don't know how many people are there after Allegiant. I do know that because it is an airport that can land commercial planes you still need the security, maintanance and custodial staffs. Who knows if you can get it done better, cheaper privately-or even if you can do it legally. Maybe that needs to be asked. I remember 24 employees so your figures (av. salary) are off. I remember that the number from the budget meetings last spring. The Massport employees are the Operations people. Waldren is not the only one. Lot of innuendo here.Why doesn't someone just ask? To be honest, it is really not that important to me. Someone told me about this site and I have reviewed it. Sounds like frustration that can be addressed by just asking. When I need to know something, I just ask. I can't remember a time I didn't get an answerfrom people in Worcester. Maybe not the answer I wanted, but someone told me something or told me why they couldn't give out confidential information.
Anonymous:
I love this guy. He gets on the site and lectures everyone then when we ask him to enlighten us, he punts and says that it is not important to him?? At the same time anonymous watched all the City Council Meetings and knows all the issues that are discussed on the airport.
Who spouts innuendo here more then Mr Anonymous?? And I love the "someone told me" about this site, more unnuendo... At that same time when anonymous wants to know something, he just asks.
For now I will take your advice and ask you. Note that I have put a blog on already today asking you to help us be "less frustrated" and "end the innuendo" by letting us know where the information that you cited.
Bet you Mr Anonymous will not give us an answer.
Bill, this is what you get when you talk to people who are real comfortable venting, but when you ask them for verification, their rear ends pucker up.
Hey, Mr. "I ask if I'm curious", you were given a name when you were born. Try using it. If that scares you, try a fictitious one. It makes it a lot less confusing to those of us who are interested in progress and accountability and discourage your approach of just checking out the site and muddying the waters with unsubstantiated hearsay. And who said no one has asked the questions in the past that you're asking now?
Massport should lobby Mayor Menino to give the Enchanted Christams Village to ORH and we can set it up in one of vacant hangars up there. It will bring in some foot traffic that we can apply toward the required 10,000 threshold.
Tom:
Well said.. I am going to take Mr Anonymous, who referred to this site by someone, and ask to clear up innuendos.
Tomorrow I will mail a letter to our airport liaison, Phil Niddrie, asking for information to answer many of the questions Jahn has asked.
Bill
How many full time ORH 'ees does city have?
How many part time ORH 'eees does city have?
Above 2 questions also for Massport 'ees
Job categoriess and number of 'ees in each category...city and Massport
By job category (not names) and the salary /wage paid to each employee in in fiscal year ended June,2006. City and massport 'ees if possible.
Overtime and straighttime worked by each hourly 'ee in 2006.
Cost of ALL benefits paid either in total or per employee, including ,but not limited to pension & health ins.
Is Director on massport or City payroll? This raises the question, who exactly does he report to, Massport or OBrien? How does OBrien control an employee (and in turn ORH)if the director is paid by Massport? Who give director his marching orders MP or Obrien? I always look to who is signing my paycheck ?? What conflicts does this present, if any?
Is Liason carried as an ORH 'ee and if not why?
Are any 'ee costs charged to somethign other than pesonnel costs?
How many budgeted but unfilled positions ?
Have we cut any ee's since Allegiant left?
How many sick and personal days taken in 2006?
Are sick & personal days charged to personnel expense or elsewhere and if elswhere,where exactly?
What's the average 'ee costing us i.e. total personnnel costs divided by # 'ees.
Does city re-imburse MP for the supposed 5 MP 'ees ?
If the average MP 'ee is costing 80K annually adn there are 5 of them isnt the TRUE ORH annual deficit more like $2,000,000 PLUS another $400,000 ( 5 x 80k) for MP 'ees for a totasl feficit of $2.4M
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