Aviation Board Offers lease to Experimental Fliers
Posted
Craig Brosman-
Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners Monday night heard from Experimental Aircraft Association members on the condition of their hangar.
The board did not take action at Monday night’s meeting, but could take action during the June session.
EAA member Dan Harstine presented the council with a packet of information regarding the situation at their hangar. Inside the packet were pictures of water damage from ceiling leaks and two quotes from Bambi’s Roofing Inc., Atwood.
Harstine informed the council that in order to fix the issue completely it would cost $17,897 and the group does not have the funds to fix it. Harstine then asked the board to pay for the repairs.
Board President Jay Rigdon talked among the board about the lease agreement between the airport and the EAA.
“This is a 10-year lease and their lease is about to end in August,” Rigdon said. “If the fliers came in and said we will pay $10 a year as long as you pay $18,000 to fix the building I don’t think we would do it. I have a hard time thinking it is justifiable to get that revenue out of the building.”
Within the lease agreement the EAA agreed to pay $10 per year. In return for the favorable lease rate, the EAA would cover all of the maintenance and repairs for the building.
“We would consider this greater than normal maintenance, this would be under structural damage,” Harstine said.
Rigdon responded that a lot of things could be considered structural damage.
“If you let a leaky pipe go long enough it could become structural damage, but it is really a maintenance issue,” he said.
David Beall, Warsaw airport manager, said he was under a different understanding.
“My understanding was that when we entered the lease with the EAA they would cover things like this because of the favorable rent,” Beall said.
Board member Paul Grossnickle reminded the EAA that the board has nothing against the EAA.
“I think the whole board agrees with your purpose and what you do,” Grossnickle said. “But we don’t have 20 grand extra.”
Harstine then brought up the point that the airport needs to take care of its assets or look into tearing it down.
Board member Gene Zale told the board the building has been there for at least 40 years.
The board agreed that they need to figure out what to do with the building.
Near the end of the meeting, Beall asked the board to take the proposal under advisement.
“We had a significant amount of money budgeted for the gates and that came in under budget,” Beall said. “I would ask that the board take this under advisement until I can look at the budget and see where we are at.”
