Silly us. We thought a recession was on, business was down and government finances were screaming tight.
If that’s the case, then why is the Jackson County Board of Commissioners even considering adding two new positions for the county airport at a cost of $90,000?
EDITORIAL: County should hold off on airport hirings
The apparent theory behind the request from the county’s airport authority is that when the airport runway extension project is completed this summer, the county will be flooded with corporate and business airplanes that need new local airport services.
In addition, airport officials claim that “market studies” show the sale of airplane fuel will increase 30 percent per year over the next five years, more than offsetting the cost of the two positions.
We question both conclusions.
There is no evidence — other than speculation — that Jackson County will suddenly see a jump in corporate jets; nor is it likely in the current economic environment, fuel sales will jump a whopping 30 percent per year.
For some reason, too many people in government get carried away with the idea of having a big airport.
Build it and they will come?
Maybe not. Build it and they may still fly to Athens, or Lawrenceville or Gainesville or Winder anyway.
Here’s a novel thought for Jackson County officials: Why don’t you wait and see if you really need additional help before you hire two people for the airport simply on speculation? See how many corporate jets land over the next year needing new services.
If the county really does get slammed with corporate jets that need services and if fuel sales really do jump by one-third, then take a look at doling out taxpayer dollars to hire more people.
In the meantime, hold onto that $90,000 and keep it in the bank. You never know when it may come in handy.
In addition, airport officials claim that “market studies” show the sale of airplane fuel will increase 30 percent per year over the next five years, more than offsetting the cost of the two positions.
We question both conclusions.
There is no evidence — other than speculation — that Jackson County will suddenly see a jump in corporate jets; nor is it likely in the current economic environment, fuel sales will jump a whopping 30 percent per year.
For some reason, too many people in government get carried away with the idea of having a big airport.
Build it and they will come?
Maybe not. Build it and they may still fly to Athens, or Lawrenceville or Gainesville or Winder anyway.
Here’s a novel thought for Jackson County officials: Why don’t you wait and see if you really need additional help before you hire two people for the airport simply on speculation? See how many corporate jets land over the next year needing new services.
If the county really does get slammed with corporate jets that need services and if fuel sales really do jump by one-third, then take a look at doling out taxpayer dollars to hire more people.
In the meantime, hold onto that $90,000 and keep it in the bank. You never know when it may come in handy.
Week after week of telling us what each local government is doing wrong is getting old and stagnant.It's not hard to point fingers and blow your "How they should be doing it "horn.
When was the last time you did a feature on the local fire departments ? There are a ton of community and civic groups ...tell us about them .
Bottom line I am sick of Mainstreet news telling us about what's wrong and what's bad in our community .
There are times where you have to INVEST in your business. But, if you're happy with the status quo, then by all means, stay with being a weekly publication.
You wrote: "Jackson County is a "hot spot" for piolits to land, refuil, and to take a bathroom break and have a snack or coffee. We need more people to staff the airport."
How many people does it take to help someone use the bathroom or drink coffee? Is that worth another $90,000 of taxpayer funds?
I also question your comment that the airport has a "HUGE" impact on the county's economy. Prove it. Show me the numbers.
Also, would it not make sense to see if airport traffic actually warrants hiring one or even two people? Sure, there may be a customer here or there but I can't imagine our little airport becoming an Athens type place anytime soon.
Other than that, the airport has been a bigger money pit than the Sheriff's Dept. I miss the common sense leadership we used to have.
You must be thinking of another county.
They got cost of living raises and merit based raises. Maybe you are thinking of a different county. Jackson County employees may have to worry about the politics in the county government, but they were well taken care of for at least 4 years.
Government has run amok and needs to be monitored closely by the citizens. It is OUR MONEY they're spending. My taxes are going up and I think the government should be cutting, not expanding.
Are we all really so stupid to let the government do this to us?????
It appears to me that like prior Jackson County projects run amuck, we are trying to present ourselves as being something we are not. We don't need a Gwinett county Courthouse in our pasture fields nor do we need a Hartsfield-Jackson airport next to our race track!
If the big "Corporate" people that fly in their big "Corporate" jets want to have a big fancy airport to land at then by all means LET THEM PAY FOR IT. But keep our tax money out of it!
Wake up stupidos, why pay for something we don't need if someone else will!
And by the way - aviation is great. However how about a little air curtesy. I for one am getting tired of having planes buzz my house! Do you really think the people living around our currently small airport actually want it to get BIGGER!! Gee Wheez - thats just what I want, BIGGER & BIGGER jets flying into & out of the airport, and creating more & more noise, and dumping more & more fuel - DAAAA!
So we're working our way up to "Corporate" jets...and then we'll be moving up to...what..737's...and then...International flights??? Where do you propose to stop this "expansion"?
I recall that when the company considered buying a site in Kentucky, requiring a team of technical and executive evaluators to visit it, we flew into a small, county airport that could accommodate our 8-seat King Air. Things went bad from touchdown. The county used inmate labor at the airport, and a shoving match between an inmate and the copilot meant the airplane could not be left unattended. There was debate about changing a tire, but no one was there to do it except for a young lady in operations. No one from our company ever flew back there and interest in the site evaporated.
Still, Jackson County does have Intersate 85 running through it, and traveling on interstates is documented as reducing travel time between cities by 20 percent, so maybe executives of some businesses won’t mind driving over here. Probably executives planning more warehouses and transfer stations wouldn’t mind because the potential sites are all on the interstate.
My humble opinion? Fund the two positions. The airport connects Jackson County to urban centers of banking, commerce, law, engineering, medicine and other specializations without sacrificing the rural makeup of the county. Jackson County was among the fastest growing in the U.S., and it may be so again. Let’s be ready.
Athens / Clark County has a commercial airport and they don't grow as fast as Jackson County and you could say they wouldn't exist without the university.