Directly from the narrative. Page 3:
Ultimately, if 1) a partnership with MassPort should prove unattainable by the end of the Small Community Air Service Development Grant funding program to which the City and the Airport have committed to until June, 2007, and 2) the Airport is unable secure commercial or charter service to regain is Primary Airport Status, with at least 10,000 annual enplanements, then the City should begin to take steps to downgrade the airport to a General Aviation facility. The operation of ORH as GA facility is the most fiscally prudent course of action if Primary Airport status can not be achieved within a reasonable time period.
Although we received a one year extension on the Air Service Development Grant through June, 2008 since we were unable to spend the monies, we already know that a partnership has been attained as the current operating agreement has been extended through June of 2009. In addition we did not have 10,000 emplanements last year and have no chance of getting it this year. It looks to me that we should downgrade to a GA facility, if we are to follow the recommendations as laid out by IMG.
Same Time Next Year
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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
9 comments:
The best way to downgrade to GA only is to throw Massport out.
They use the same cookie-cutter recipe for Logan and Worcester when it comes to security.
Obviously, there's a major difference between BOS and ORH, unfortunately, Massport doesn't realize that.
Bill, as you have too often pointed out, just look at this as another consultants report bought and paid for by the taxpayers (usually of Worcester) that goes ignored and unused. This habit of ignoring 99.99% of EVERYTHING that paid consultants recommend is a waste of time & money.
Can you say Worc Municipal Research Bureau?
Interestingly enough three years ago I actually said keep ORH open as a Part 139 Certified airport. I believed that with the Small Community Air Service Grant and the emergence of airlines like Allegiant that ORH could be another Rockford.
Instead the current mgmt has totally dropped the ball and we lost Allegiant after 9 months, have not had a commercial flight for 18 months, there is no prospect of anything on the horizon and the current operating agreement with MassPort has been extended through June of 2009. Why should we keep our 139 Certification, when we have no chance of getting a commercial airline right now?
Follow IMG's recommendation, downgrade to a GA airport and stop the bleeding now. At the same time we need to put out a full court press to outright sell or long-term lease the airport!!!!!
If the airport was downgraded, would any monies have to be paid back?
If yes, would it still be cheaper to do the downgrade?
my two cents (after inflation)
My two cents:
I do not believe any monies would have to be paid back since it is still an airport, although not Part 139 Certified. It is my understanding that the monies would only need to be paid back if the airport was closed.
That is why I believe IMG recommended this course of action versus closure.
Bill
Bill;
is the community involved in this airport at all..just seems to me in my often travels within the state that I hear within most communities at least ones "on the move" that these "on the move"
communities have quite abit of community involvement>
We have a bike path in Somerville that has more community involvemnet than it seems this local airport has in Worcester
Paulie,
Try contacting the Worcester Area Pilots Association (W.A.P.A.)
Paulie:
The community is not involved in the airport since the airport does not want the community involved.
Let me know how the Pilots' Association idea goes???
Bill
I get this feeling about many issues in the city...keep bringing in mummy dummy citizens (free loaders)..who say little as long as they are fed,housed,healthcare provided and a few bucks and everything will be okay
It is incredible how few in mi own neighborhood get involved in anything
The Yellow Box issue comes to mind...even our City Councilor who rallied against was woefully uncommunicative about city hall folks going to Rhode Island and the final meeting..I jumped in on this issue and was thoroughly embarrassed not to be able to be at the final Health Dept. meeting cause of another business committment (I got wiff of the Health meeting the day before:>)
I get more community updates from a bike group in Somerville about a bike path than I do about anything happening in this city..
The Airport doesn't get me to excited..I would like to have an active airport locally as I travel often but it is not high on my list of things this city needs foremost...I have no neighbors since few live in the hood long...many consider my area crime ridden and unsafe..few leaders if any..speak up about the recent violent crimes at Hispanic owned business and one is called a racist instead of someone concerned about stuff that isn't happening at black/white/asian owned business in the city but happening at a high level at Hispanic business..non-stop chatter about low income housing yet someone like myself who is spending his own money to create good affordable housing gets absolutely no assistance (long lasting) ridding the hood of the shitholes on all sides..it amazes me that the three decker next door is even allowed federal & state subsidies..the property has a staggering list of violations going back 15 years yet the owner keeps being allowed to receive federal and state subsidies..it is amazing that this is not stopped..talk to my City Councilor...any city official and all you get is blah,blah,blah...not one has one creative idea..I'd love to hear that Congressman McGovern is tackling this issue instead of this water clean-up issue..good folks are looking at this water issue and all the hoss shit rhetoric from our pols..having clean water and waterways increases my property values...decrepit three deckers filled with losers all around me decrease the value..I am looking for sustainable rentals..cleaning up Boston Harbor was going to break Boston and Greater Boston...right:>)
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