Gregg County Commissioners on a split vote approved a lease with the Texas Department of Public Safety for the use of a secured hanger at the East Texas Regional Airport.
The hanger is to serve as a hub for the department’s enforcement helicopter in this area. However, one commissioner believed the rent charged by the county was not going to fly.
“If my memory serves me right – and I SEE PAGE 5 didn’t vote to buy this – there were some statements made … that the purchase of this building, that the taxpayers would be paid back by the rent,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Darryl Primo said to Sheriff Maxey Cerliano. “That the money we would charge for rent would amortize the cost of the building back to the county, that the building may not make money, but at least it wouldn’t cost the taxpayers of Gregg County money.”
The agreement presented to the court Monday morning stated the county would bill DPS $1,500 per month for the use of the facility, a cost Primo believes is barely sufficient to cover operating expenses – not including remodel and purchase costs.
“I’m looking at this rent, $1,500 a month. That includes all their utilities? And an employee?” Primo asked Cerliano.
Cerliano said the rent includes all utility expenses, but the employee, a tactical flight officer, is covered under the Sheriff ’s Office correction budget.
“That has been in place since they arrived here because the state only provided three personnel instead of four. It’s not assigned as part of the hanger. It’s under a different budget.”
Primo said the cost of the employee was an additional expense to the taxpayers.
“I guess what my issue is, is $1,500 enough when you subtract the utilities?,” Primo replied to Cerliano. “I don’t see where we’re getting any type of return on our investment at all at that low rent. Provided that all utilities – including the cable and Internet services, as well as the employee, as well as the furniture and the price the court agreed to pay for the building, it just doesn’t add up to what I understood the original agreement was. That’s my question I would like to give you a chance to respond to.”
“My response would be is that this is a somewhat standard hanger lease that DPS has with other governmental agencies across the state,” Cerliano said.
“I understand the lease is, but my problem is the price,” Primo said.
Cerliano said he worked with County Judge Bill Stoudt and other officials to get the contract set in place and to develop a price for rent that included utilities and a return on investment.
“When you start asking questions on how long the payout will be on the return on that investment, then I will defer to the judge,” Cerliano said. “However, what I would like to point out is simply that DPS does not charge us when we call them to use that $5 million helicopter when we need it on a local level. Nor do they bill us the hour that it costs ($500-$600 per hour) to fly it. They don’t submit a bill to us.
We actually have some reporting data that confirms how much that helicopter has been used in the last year.”
According to the report provided by Cerliano, a helicopter stationed in Gregg County flew approximately 490 hours between September 2010 and September 2011. The pilots assisted in the location of 115 suspects, 85 arrests and located two victims. The chopper also assisted in the location of more than 660 pounds of marijuana and other drugs.
Cerliano explained the number generated with the helicopter include all missions flown during a specific time frame, as well as periods when the helicopter is used in other parts of the state or along the border.
“While you may not agree with what the price is, the county will be refunded the cost of the hanger long-term. But not only does the law enforcement locally but the citizens of Gregg County get to enjoy the use of that helicopter and the safety and security it provides,” he said.
After the Commissioners Court meeting, Cerliano said he believes the true return on investment is the ability to have a helicopter available locally instead of waiting for a pilot to fly from Dallas or Waco.
In other business, the court also voted to allow the sheriff ’s office to utilize inmates from the Gregg County jail to move more than 40 miniature oil derricks for the Kilgore Historical Preservation Foundation to a location where they will be refurbished in preparation for a planned memorial park.
The park is to be built on a vacant lot next to the Texan Theater on Commerce Street.
Cerliano said KHPF only requested labor assistance to load and unload the derricks. All expenses for transportation of the derricks is provided by KHPF.
The court also voted to adopt a proclamation declaring Nov. 6-12 as National Women Veterans Recognition Week in Gregg County.
The proclamation was requested by members of the Navy women’s organization called WAVES AGO, which includes female veterans of the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. The recognition week is set to coincide with the national Veteran’s Day celebrations on Nov. 11
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