Taxpayer Funded County Airport Repairs Raise Concern During Oswego County Legislature Meeting

OSWEGO – Strong debate over taxpayer funded airport upgrades was a key discussion during yesterday’s County Legislative meeting, Wednesday, March 16.

Resolutions requesting rehabilitation of the county’s airport Runway 6-24, along with monies for new furniture at the airport terminal were put forth before the Legislature for consideration.

The county is seeking to fund 5% of the total runway project, coming in at $170,680.75, along with $60,000 for new furniture inside the airport terminal.

To offset the total runway upgrade of $3,413,615.00, the county has submitted a grant application to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which will cover 90-percent of the cost. The remaining 10% will be offset by both the state and county, with a five-percent sum for each, coming in at $170,680.75.

Minority Leader Frank Castiglia (District 25) voiced his opinion, stating the airport should be privately owned, not funded by taxpayer dollars. Castiglia went on to note the airport’s convenience for the county, but reiterated the need for private ownership.

“You’ve got 42 people who are Oswego County residents that have planes like this, and we have 117,000 people in the county. So 117,000, or 43,000 taxpayers, are paying for 43 people’s luxury attachments – airplanes,” Castiglia said. “I know that the airport should be privately run. I’m not saying shut down the airport, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying it should not be owned by the county. Taxpayer money should go for services for the taxpayers, not to fund an airport.”

Legislator Marie Schadt (District 19) also added her thoughts, questioning the airport hanger fees, and the flow of money used to keep the airport running.

“Mr. Chairman, there’s a three-project total here of taxpayer share for $692,000. Again, if a business doesn’t make it in seven years, you make it go away, and the airport has demonstrated that it’s going to do nothing but drain us of funds to eternity,” Schadt said. “I just wonder when we hit the bottom here. I mean, you won’t even raise the rates to keep these planes. When you board a horse you’re talking $700-800 a month. To hang a plane, it should be a lot more than $225-250 a month. That just seems absurd to me.”

Legislator Marc Greco (District 24) responded to Castiglia’s concerns that the airport was not providing services to the county, relating how the airport helped with a recent family emergency.

“Two or three months ago we had a medical flight fly for my mother-in-law at that airport,” Greco said. “If it wasn’t there we wouldn’t have been able to do it, so I do disagree with you on the fact that it doesn’t serve this community. You might not need it every day, but certainly it does serve the entire community.”

Chairman James Weatherup (District 9) ended the discussion by stating that he is proud Oswego County has an airport, saying a great number of counties do not. Both resolutions passed by a margin of 19/2 with four excused.

Other items on the agenda unanimously passed by the Legislature are as follows:

• Resolution in opposition to the Senate Bill S7855 as it relates to the membership of the Board of Directors of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation.
• Authorization for Board of Elections – electronic poll books.
• Public hearing for County of Oswego Local Law Number 1 – providing partial tax exemption of certain real property owned by persons 65 years of age or over
• Public hearing to proposed county of Oswego Local Law Number 2 of 2022 providing a partial tax exemption for qualifying person with disabilities under real property tax law 459-C
• Authorization of budget modification E-911-Microwave Upgrade
• Budget modification for Department of Social Services to transfer funds to SNAP/Employment and Training
• Authorization of Budget modification for Department of Social Services to accept Code Blue New York State Aid
• Budget modification for Department of Social Services to transfer funds to Legal Fees
• Authorization for acceptance for Rental Supplement Program and Creation of One Temporary Social Welfare Examiner position in the Department of Social Services
• Budget modification at Department of Social Services to accept NYS Systems Change and Inclusive Opportunities Network (SCION) Award
• Appointment of members to the Oswego County Child Protection Advisory Council
• Appointment of members to the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors
• Public hearing to the requests of landowner inclusion within the existing certified Agricultural District pursuant to the NYS Agricultural and Markers Law (AML), Section 303-B, as amended
• Authorization for Health Department – Reclassification of RN position to Educational Specialist
• Transfer of funds from Insurance Recovery Fund into Highway Expenses
• Authorizing the Chairman to execute an agreement between the County of Oswego and the Federal Aviation Administration and NYSDOT

County Legislative meetings are held the second Thursday of every month. The next meeting will be held on April 14 at 7 p.m. To view the full agenda, please click here.

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