"Revenue Diversion?: Mass. airport finances explored in FAA audit"

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Airport finances explored in FAA audit
By Craig Salters
The Yarmouthport (MA) Register


The Federal Aviation Administration's audit of the Barnstable Municipal
Airport began Tuesday and should be completed by week's end.
 
"We'll wrap up on Friday," said Jim Peters, a spokesman for the FAA,
referring to when FAA officials will be in Barnstable examining documents
pertaining to the municipal airport.
 
Specifically, said Peters, two FAA officials from the agency's headquarters
in Washington, D.C. will audit records, assisted by at least two employees
from the FAA's regional office in Burlington. The audit will be for fiscal
2005, he said.

Among other items, said Peters, the audit will focus on financial
transactions between the airport and the town as well as uses of airport
land and facilities by government entities.
 
While the airport's use of funds is also the subject of a federal lawsuit
brought against it by one of its tenants, Rectrix Aerodrome Centers, Peters
limited his comments to the FAA audit.
 
"We reserve the right to perform audits whenever we feel it's necessary,"
said Peters. He added that, nationally, Barnstable is one of only two
airports selected for audits this year and that it is the first time
Barnstable has been chosen.
 
According to Peters, Barnstable Municipal Airport receives federal funds
through the FAA's Airport Improvement Program. To be eligible for such
funding, individual airports must agree to so-called "grant assurances,"
which are essentially conditions attached to the grants. The acceptance of
federal funds also brings with it the possibility of an audit to ensure that
funds are spent properly.
 
Peters said the municipal airport commission which oversees the airport was
notified beforehand in order to prepare for this week's audit.
 
Quincy "Doc" Mosby, the airport's manager, said Tuesday he welcomes the
audit and sees it as an evaluative tool, an opportunity to see if and where
the airport needs to improve in terms of management.
 
"I think it will help us," said Mosby. "I'm positive that we'll do fine."
 
Mosby added that he is impressed by the way FAA officials are going about
their duties. "I think it's going to be a very detailed audit," he said.
"They're extremely professional."

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************