Airport asks for two staff members
The Jackson County Board of Commissioners heard a request from airport manager Bob Stapleton to create two new staff positions at the airport at a cost of $90,000 to the county for salaries and benefits.
Stapleton said the expansion at the airport will create the need for the additional staff — an airport program specialist and airport lineman.
He added that $15 million planes would be coming to the airport after the expansion project is complete.
“We are talking about some high dollar airplanes that will be coming into our community,” he said. “There will be corporate pilots and CEOs. You need someone who can anticipate desires and have it there. You only get one chance at that level. If they come to your airport and the service is not there, they will not come back.
For additonal coverage of the Jackson County BOC meeting, see the July 8 issue of The Jackson Herald.
He added that $15 million planes would be coming to the airport after the expansion project is complete.
“We are talking about some high dollar airplanes that will be coming into our community,” he said. “There will be corporate pilots and CEOs. You need someone who can anticipate desires and have it there. You only get one chance at that level. If they come to your airport and the service is not there, they will not come back.
For additonal coverage of the Jackson County BOC meeting, see the July 8 issue of The Jackson Herald.
Defined tags for this entry: BOC
Does the county REALLY need to spend $90,000 on glorified "hanger attendants"?? Exactly how many $15 million planes do land at the Jackson County airport every day..week..month..or year??? If these high dollar CEO's can afford their $15 million dollar planes maybe they should flip the bill for landing at our airport instead of the Jackson county taxpayers, most of whom will never even see or utilize this airport or it's expansion!!!
I hope the board of commissioners have enough common sense to realize that $90,000, I'm sure, could be better spent somewhere else in the county!! Let me think...possible fixing some of the pot holes in some of our roads or adding an extra patrol officer to the Jackson County Sheriffs office.
Tired of the waste, I agree that the county really does not need to spend money on something or someone for those positions. I really do not understand why the county does not contract out a Fixed Base Operator. A FBO can come in, operate the airport more efficiently and cheaper than the county can....and make the same or better impression on airport customers.
I'm with you with the FBO thing. Government can't do much efficiently.
Just a thought.
Unless a real economic benefit materializes. So far, the benefit has been described in very general terms. Can’t the Airport Authority operate as an enterprise fund? Loan it the dough and let it make it pay. Who knows what a FBO is anyway.