County Commission Agrees To Impose New Fees

The airport in Lorain County, OH  (KLPR) will be staying open following an agreement to assess new fees at the facility.

The county had been in a protracted battle with the FAA over closure of the airport. The Northern Ohio Morning Journal reports that the county had tried to shutter the facility saying it was too expensive to maintain, but the FAA said the airport was required to stay open for 20 years due to over $9 million in grants that had been made.

The airport was to have shut down December 31st, but the county found $50,000 in the general fund to keep the airport operating while negotiations with the FAA continued. County officials had met with the FAA in January, at which time they were told that closing the airport was not acceptable.

The county had said it did not have the money to maintain the airport, but has now come up with a schedule of landing fees and cost savings that will keep the airport open. Assistant County Administrator Ron Twining told the commission that the move was "robbing Peter to pay Paul," but that the new landing fees would help generate come $150,000, which would make the airport at least self-sustaining.

Lorain County Administrator Jim Cordes said, while the airport still has problems, it would remain open. The three-member commission agreed unanimously.

FMI: www.loraincounty.com