Board Recommends To City Council That It Replace A Bad Agreement From 2007

The Longmont (CO) Airport Advisory Board has recommended to the City Council that it approve a new lease with Mile-Hi Skydiving allowing it to continue operations at the airport.

The new lease would approve one that was determined to be faulty signed in 2007 between the city and the business.

That 20-year lease included payment of $41,566 per year from Mile-Hi owner Frank Casares for the use of airport property, beginning when he applied for a grading permit for the land, according to the Times Call newspaper. But Casares did not request such a permit, and so a payment was never made. Instead, the company erected a temporary quonset hut for parachute packing, which it still uses.

But the agreement violates FAA regulations for AIP grants which require payment for use of airport property, according to new airport manager David Slayter.

During negotiations last year, the city and Casares agreed to a replacement lease that, if approved by the city council, will be retroactive to October of last year and be in effect for 12 years. The lease will be for only the land under the quonset hut, and be valued at $4,501.51 per year. By agreeing to the lease, the city can avoid litigation in the case.

The city council is set to consider the new lease at its meeting February 23.

FMI: http://longmontcolorado.gov/departments/city-council