This from Bob Nemeth, past Airport Chairman and current Airport Board Member. Keep in mind this is the same Bob Nemeth that praises every consultant report and editorializes constantly that ORH is on the right track. Although Mr Nemeth has recently been aluding to the fact MassPort may be our best option (October commentary), now it looks like it is a done deal:
"Lets hope decision-makers will come to the conclusion that municipal government doesn't belong in the aviation business and invite MassPort to take title to Worcester Regional Airport."
Isn't Mr Nemeth a decision-maker, as a past Airport Chairman and current Airport Board Member??? Decision-makes, like Mr Nemeth, should have listened to our recommendations two years ago, check out web site: 13) Invite airport management companies to Worcester and review the possibility of putting together an RFP whereby we lease the entire airport to a private management company.
Decision-makers, like Mr Nemeth, should have had consultants, like IMG, prepare and market an RFP for the airport, not pay them $100,000 for study that told us everything we already knew, or another $100,000 for IMG to help retain and recruit commercial air service that has resulted in nothing. Now we have less then 6 months until the current operating agreement ends and are only in negotiations with one buyer (MassPort). I still do not understand how a 4.5 acre parcel of land, emtpy restaurant slot or parking management company require an RFP, but the entire airport will not?
Although I do feel that the City should not be in the airport business and MassPort will be a great improvement, it make you wonder what else could have been out there. Check out the story below about Tacoma Narrows Airports. Lastly if you are in negotiations with MassPort to outright take title or long-term lease the airport, should a past Airport Chairman and current Airport Member being saying things like this while we are trying to get the best deal for the tax-payers/owners of the airport??
"Lets hope decision-makers, like Mr Nemeth, are not involved in the future management of Worcester Regional Airport once MassPort takes title or long-term leases ORH. "
Same Time Next Year
-
It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
4 months ago
19 comments:
One more thing. How can something like selling ORH to MassPort not be in of the Airport Commission Board Meetings???? Obviously this is being talked about...
Ironically the Telegram has written at lease twice, even editorialized, on the importance of the Open Meeting Laws. Evidently Airport Boards are exempt from the law.
What bothers me is that the T&G today editorializes about...
1. "high standards and ACCOUNTABLITY FOR RESULTS HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE" (for education)..... Dare i ask where the results and accountablity are for ORH?
2. ..."growing the state economy.....nurturing new and existing industries and encouraging new ones"...Dare I ask why cannot have a new industry at ORH like a private airport operator/owner that would pay the city handsomely every quarter with new found property tax revenues, amongst others
3. ... "the ten train (commuter rail) to worc needs to be doubled".... What about ZERO comm. air service at ORH? Guess we can look forward in 2007 to adoubling of that, too? We need trains and planes
Then Hitch goes on a cartoonist's rant about nationall, state , and local boondoogles and conspicuously absent is any mention of ORH. You dont suppose someone may have purposefully left somethign on the cutting room floor?
WRITE THE PAPER! Call George French and tell him these things. They are all valid, worthwhile points that deserve a proper response!
Tom:
I always appreciate your comments and candor. Bob Nemeth would not write this today in the paper unless he knew it was a "done deal". That way when it happens, he can look like he influenced it give it his blessing.
As it happens the Telegram Editorial Board will then write a story about how great this is and that the Airport Commission should be thanked. What I am trying to say is the "die is cast" and we will just need to watch it unfold. Nobody will ask questions at to why we did not do an RFP for the airport or why none of the multiple consultants that we had ever looked into privatization.
In fact we will even hear comments like "we all knew that the City of Worcester should not have been in the aviation business." We did??? Tom, did you ever read George Orwell's "Animal Farm" or "1984"??
Writing anything to George French would be as useful as asking our airport liaison for a listing of the current employees at ORH by emplouer, job title and salary.
Thanks
Bill
PS Just act surprised when it happens.
Thanks
Bill
I didnt actually read Sundays paper till last night, but did anyone notice the term ...INVITE...apllied to Massport taking over the reins at ORH.
RFP the place and I can assure you no one will have to be invited or RSVP'ed. Put the future bride up on the stage and let the suitors line up !!!
Jahn:
We recommended two years ago that the entire airport should be put out to RFP similar to the DCU Center. The City owns it but does not run it...
Continually this blog has maintained that we should not extend the current operating agreement, which has been a complete failure for 8 years. Instead we should long-term lease or outright sell ORH.
The decision-makes have done nothing of the sorts, but instead wait around for consultant reports. Now with 180 days left in the current agreement with a $2,000,000 per year deficit waiting for us, we are going to "invite" Massport to take title to ORH.
Three years ago when this current agreement started, we could have put the airport out to RFP and had three years to do our due diligence. We have completely short-changed ourselves again and are dealing with a weak hand.
Bill
Does Bob Nemeth spell his first name with one "O" or two?
Bob Nemeth stopped by my office last January after I put up http://www.flyorh.com.
After I had to explain to him what airport privatization and WIFI meant, he informed me that nothing gets done at the airport unless it goes through him..... That all recommendations for the airport need to go through the "proper" channels.
What these folks seem to be up to with the airport would be deemed malpractice in any other field except public (mis)administration.
Handing off an asset assessed at $25 or 30M to a bunch of Boston pols for less than short money and the pols first alligance is to Logan.
Truly another MassPiking for the taxpayers of Worcester. How much you want to bet it will be impossible to unravel this Massport deal 5 or 10 or 20 years down the road.
Here is my bet.. MassPort leases ORH for a nominal amount ($1 maybe $1,000 per year) for 20 years with an option to renew for another 20 years.
A little holiday sing along:
A "Worcester Airport Christmas" sung to the tune of the 12 days of Christmas.
On the 1st day of Christmas my City gave to me:
Zero Airport Restaurants
1 Condemmed control tower.
2 Underutilized runways.
3 Empty parking lots.
4 RFP'ed acres
5 Massport employees.
6 Months until Massport owns us.
7 Budgeted,unfilled City positions
8 Years of failed MassPort man'gt.
9 Months of Allegiant service.
10 Thousand Commercial passengers.
11 Overpaid, airport apathetic councillors.
12 City employees working.
that is very funny
Bob Nemeth or BOOB Nemeth ?!?!?!?!?
OUCHIE !!!!! Tough crowd, tough crowd !!!
...funny though, but tough!
Harry Tembenis
Worcester, MA
Dave:
As of January 1st, there has officially been mothing to turn the airport over to MassPort. You did not miss anything.
Bill
I don't believe the City can sell the airport in hopes of making quick money. The federal goverment in the form of the FAA is due significant funds after years of investment, which they expect 100% of which to be eventually returned. So, logically, there must be onerous limitations as to who can assume ownership/physical operations, since whoever that is would then also have to enter into some sort of pay-off agreement with the ever-present feds.
Bill, yes, that's probably how the T+G operates. I recall reading Orwell's "1984" and "Animal Farm" (some animals more equal than others), but still think at least having a letter drafted and sent up to him might give bloggers' ideas more exposure than having them only here, on a limited venue.
You could even slip into the column the bizarre policy barring city employees from serving on boards and commissions, a local ordinance consistent with discrimination.
to:
Good advice..
Thanks
Bill
Tom can't we just sell the place and pay off any mortgages as part of tHe transaction?
With an assessed value of $25-30M, I would think it would fetch enough money to pay all the debt and leave add'l funds for the City
Bill, if someone who chooses to remain anonymous asked you a legitimate question on a topic that you have taken interest in AND on a blog site which you have always had the courtesy to sign your name, is it fair, at a minimum, to expect them to state their legal name as well?
Sue Kelliher was tagged with the name "hand Job Suzie" of Franklin Street.
Good one Patsy
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