"County legislators tour Watertown, N.Y., airport in preparation for takeover"

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

County legislators tour Watertown, N.Y., airport in preparation for
takeover
The Watertown (NY) Daily Times


For the Watertown International Airport, a new future is rapidly
approaching.

Jefferson County lawmakers toured the facility Tuesday afternoon and
began preliminary discussions about how it will be run once the county
takes it over Jan. 1.

"If we're going to draw the greatest potential from this airport, now is
the time to look at expanding it," said Legislator Scott A. Gray,
R-Watertown, noting that federal funding is available.

"You'd have to see what the potential is," he said. "We want to look at
the runway that's under rehabilitation and see when the other one is up
for rehabilitation, because that would be the best time to look at
expanding it."

The airport, in the town of Hounsfield, is on the county's agenda
because earlier this year the Legislature agreed to take ownership from
the city of Watertown as part of a deal to gain City Council support for
a sales tax increase.

Legislators discussed several ideas Tuesday regarding the airport's
future, including whether runways should be reinforced and extended from
5,000 to 6,500 feet to accommodate larger and heavier planes.

"In some instances you've got to spend money to make money," said
Legislature Chairman Robert J. Thomas, R-Glen Park. "I think this is one
of those instances. The north country is changing."

The chairman said that with the expected growth at Fort Drum and other
positive signs in the local economy, expanding the airport to allow for
more business and commuter use may be needed to make Jefferson County
competitive with other parts of the country for jobs and new residents.

The 12 legislators who attended the tour also touched on topics such as
putting an industrial park on the 1,060-acre site and whether the
facility's five employees would also be transferred to the county.

"We can't afford to lose them, in my mind, because these guys have
invaluable experience," Legislator James D. St. Croix, D-Watertown, said
of the facility's staff. "It seems to me like five people have a lot to
do and they're very versatile."

The five city employees at the airport are responsible for maintaining
the terminal and other buildings along with the runways and runway
lights. The crews also handle mowing and plowing.

Michael E. Kaskan, deputy county administrator, said the airport would
likely fall under the Highway Department and there is a precedent for
the county hiring the city's employees after the transfer, but the
Legislature has not yet formally discussed the airport's future.

Mr. Thomas said he would like to see the county take in the airport
employees.

"They were qualified to work for the city, so they should be qualified
to work for the county," he said.

One of the employees, Gerald W. McConnell, assistant airport manager,
led the 12 legislators, the undersheriff and other county officials
through the facility.

"I think it's going to be good for the airport if the county takes it
over," Mr. McConnell said. "For one, there's going to be a bigger spread
among the tax base and number two, I think the county's going to do a
little more with it."

Another concern for the county after Jan. 1 will be security. The
federal Transportation Security Administration checks all bags and
inspects passengers, but its agents at the Watertown airport are not
armed and cannot make arrests. This means a police officer must be on
site for incoming and outgoing flights.

The city of Watertown Police Department now handles this, but once the
county owns the facility it will likely become the Sheriff's
Department's responsibility, and Undersheriff Larry M. Jobson said this
will require four new deputies.

"The TSA will probably provide most of the funding for the personnel,"
he said. "The county is showing their commitment to the airport. They
understand and Sheriff (John P.) Burns has made it clear that if we have
to do the security, we need the personnel."

Before visiting the airport, the group -- packed into two sheriff's vans
and a short parade of cars -- visited a new parking lot between the
county Human Services Building and Court Street, the county's solid
waste/recycling transfer site in Pamelia, and the Highway Department
complex in Glen Park.

At the transfer site, legislators inspected a pre-engineered steel
building for the loading of trash, which has been under construction for
about two years. With just a small amount of electrical work left, the
building should be in service in about two or three weeks.

When legislators drove through the Highway Department complex, they saw
the beginnings of a $1.3 million pre-engineered steel building that will
give the department the space it asked for almost 15 years ago. The
building's steel frame is up and crews are preparing to pour its
concrete floor. Officials said it is expected to be completed this fall.

Legislator Jennie M. Adsit, R-Watertown, said the tour was worthwhile.

"It's nice to be able to see our tax dollars are being spent in the
right areas," she said.


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