Airport agreement changes stir debate

To say it all came down to one word may be oversimplifying the issue.

In a special council meeting held Monday night following the regular committee of the whole, councillors mulled over accepting updates to the Niagara District Airport Funding Agreement.

A provision in the new agreement would see the Airport Liaison Committee, comprised of the three partner municipality mayors - Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan and Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Dave Eke - along with CAOs from each municipality and Reudi Suter representing the Niagara District Airport Commission, given the ability to direct the commission instead of its current role of advising the commission.

“Advice can be ignored,” said Eke during Monday night’s discussion, explaining that in the past that has been the case when it comes to issues in which the liaison committee has advised the airport commission. “They get to choose whether or not to take it.”

The report, which originally came before council at the Nov.19 council meeting, had been deferred in order to give Coun. Terry Flynn the opportunity to discuss the matter with his colleagues on the airport commission. The long-time councillor was the first to speak to the report on Monday, telling his fellow councillors he was in awkward position.

“I’m going to have to go against the CAO and Lord Mayor,” he said, putting an amendment on the floor to change the word ‘direct’ back to ‘advise’. While he was backed by councillors Jamie King and Dennis Dick, the motion was defeated when Coun. Gary Zalepa, Jim Collard and Lord Mayor Eke voted against it. Councillors Andrea Kaiser, Maria Bau-Coote and Martin Mazza were absent from the meeting.

Eke said the changes were all about transparency and accountability.

“We cannot accept the word advise,” he said, noting at the end of the day when the airport commission makes a decision, the liaison committee is responsible for explaining that to their municipalities and their taxpayers. Recent decisions, he suggested, were hard to explain.

CAO Mike Galloway provided further clarification, telling councillors those decisions included the $250,000 acquisition of a hangar on airport property, depletion of airport reserves and tax arrears owed to the town. He told councillors that when the report originally appeared before the committee it was passed by all members, including Suter. Galloway said he found the change in tone from Suter surprising.

After being called upon from his spot in the audience, Suter told councillors the acquisition of the hangar would benefit the airport in the long run. It was taken over from a delinquent tenant and is being purchased through five payments of $50,000. The hangar, he said, is full of planes that have rented space and is not only making a profit now but will eventually be sold for an even bigger gain. Suter said the airport commission worked with lawyers and a bailiff to attain the property and said under the Municipal Act they acted within their rights. As for the depleted reserves, Suter said prior to the renovations on the Niagara Stone Road airport, the commission implemented an austerity program to build up its reserves. Telling councillors the commission knew there would be expenses not covered by the infrastructure funding, he said the plan was to build up the reserves and use them to pay for items needed as part of the renovations. One purchase, he said, included a $200,000 John Deer tractor.

When questioned about voting in favour of the report at the liaison committee and then speaking out against it now, Suter said he was just one person with one vote at the liaison committee. Appearing now, he said, he was representing the airport commission. The commission, at that time, had yet to meet regarding the issue. Suter said they were meeting on Tuesday evening.

In the end, council voted 4-2 in favour of the report, as is, with Flynn and King voting against.

St. Catharines and Niagara Falls councils have previously approved the report. While St. Catharines councillors passed the report as is, Niagara Falls politicians approved the agreement with an amendment, approval would be given once the word direction was changed to advice.

With two versions of the agreement on the table, it’s unclear what the next steps will be.

The Niagara District Airport Commission is made up of one councillor from each of the three partner municipalities as well as citizens.

Story and photos:  http://www.niagarathisweek.com