CAA: GA News, "Shawnee, Oklahoma airport lease rate restructuring anticipated"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Sunday, October 21, 2001

Shawnee airport lease rate restructuring anticipated 
By VIRGINIA BRADSHAW 
The Shawnee (OK) News-Star


It's not something that must be done immediately, but the time is
approaching when Shawnee Municipal Airport lease rates will have to be
restructured, Lori Bowlan, assistant airport manager, advised Shawnee
City commission this week.

After receiving millions of dollars in federal grants for Shawnee
Airport improvements over the last decade, "we are almost at what might
be the end of grant money," Lori Bowlan said.

"What we must do now is prepare for the airport to be more
self-sustaining."

The airport was declared surplus property by the Navy in 1947. "The land
always must be used as an airport. If they didn't use it as an airport,
it would revert to the Navy," she said.

Aerial approaches must be protected and, during war, it must be allowed
to be run by the military.

"Because we received so much money through FAA grants, they want to be
sure we use the money wisely," Bowlan said. "They want to be sure we can
maintain and operate the airport.

"They stipulate that we have a fee structure that would generate revenue
and it must be fair for Shawnee," she said.

"They want to change it back to where the aviation industry is paying
less (lease and other fees) than the commercial," Bowlan said.

Shawnee Expo Center, Little Theatre, Oklahoma Baptist University, Pit
Stop and Handcrafted Woodwork are among facilities and businesses on
airport land.

Bowlan recommended that the ordinance be changed so that lease rates
would not be based on square footage but would be reconsidered every
five years.

"The new one would make it totally based on appraisals made every five
years and percentages based on property use," Bowlan suggested.

In response to a question from Commissioner Tom Claybrook, she said some
entities have built buildings on airport land in lieu of paying rent.

"But we have to play by the rules. We might have to pay back some grant
money if we don't charge rent," she said.

"This is happening to every airport," she said. "It's also being very
closely watched.

"It's not something we have to do overnight but it is something we have
to be prepared for if we're audited next summer," Bowlan said. "I don't
think FAA wants us to toss anybody out of their buildings. It just wants
us to develop a long term plan."

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