"Youngstown, Ohio to re-route airport funds"

Friday, June 28, 2002

Mahoning to re-route airport funds 
By RAYMOND L. SMITH
The Warren (OH) Tribune Chronicle 


YOUNGSTOWN - Mahoning County will begin looking at different areas to
invest the money that is now going to the Youngstown-Warren Regional
Airport, said County Commissioner Edward Reese. 

Although emphasizing the county will continue to be active and support
the Western Reserve Port Authority, Reese said it will begin looking at
directing money now being used for the airport to other projects
critical to economic development in the county, including land
acquisition.

Reese made the announcement after learning the federal government
rejected a grant application made by the Port Authority for $1,039,000.
The money from the federal government's Small Community Air Service
Development Pilot Program was to be used to market the airport.

The available $20 million in the pilot program was divided among 40 of
the 179 communities that requested help for their airports. The
Akron-Canton Airport, which received a $950,000 grant, was the only
facility in Ohio to receive part of the money.

''I'm shocked and disappointed,'' Trumbull County Commissioner Joseph J.
Angelo Jr., said. ''That grant was tailor-made for the Youngstown-Warren
Regional Airport.''

Among the other Ohio communities seeking grants were Toledo, Dayton, and
Mansfield.

Angelo was surprised that Akron-Canton was the only Ohio recipient.

''I didn't think they needed the money,'' he said.

Angelo said creative marketing strategies are needed for the airport.

Trumbull Commissioner Michael O'Brien is disappointed, but he said the
airport has gotten grants in the past and will get others in the future.

The airport has received $40 million from federal, state and local
government agencies for capital improvement and expansion projects over
the last five years. This would have been the first time federal money
was made available for marketing the airport.

''This is the first time we've had such a string of bad things going on
at the airport on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis,'' Angelo said.
''We will have to meet with the Port Authority to see where we go from
here.''

Reid Dulberger, chairman of the Western Reserve Port Authority, does not
know why the airport's proposal was not successful.

''We're obviously disappointed,'' he said. ''The money would have been
useful in helping us to get the word out about what is available here.''


Dulberger is optimistic this will not be the last opportunity the
airport will have to obtain these types of funds, because the pilot
project is supposed to be repeated.

Kristie VanAuken, spokeswoman for the Akron-Canton Regional Airport,
said her airport will use the money to help it pay AirTran Airline for
the development of a new route.

AirTran provides low-cost affordable fares to business and commercial
flyers. In the six years it has been at the Akron-Canton airport,
AirTran has helped it double the number of passengers using the
facility.

''In our bid, we provided a $850,000 local match to the $950,000 grant
we requested,'' VanAuken said.

Reese said the time has come for the county to look at different
ownership for the airport.

The airport is jointly owned by Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Each
county has invested approximately $300,000 a year into the airport for
more than a decade.

Reese emphasized the commissioners believe the money Mahoning County has
contributed towards the airport has been helpful in bringing it up to
date and will help its future development.

Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock joined Reese in asking business
leaders to give them ideas on how to bring more business to the airport
and make it more profitable.

The commissioners plan to ask the business community, especially those
that use the airport, to bring the county and Port Authority member
suggestions on how to better market and use the facility.

''We have to hear from you,'' Reese added. ''We need your ideas.''

Commercial service at the Youngstown-Warren airport has significantly
declined. Its last commercial airline, Northwest Airlink, is scheduled
to leave in September.


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