PARIS — Oxford County is
attempting to evict Oxford Aviation from Oxford County Regional Airport,
accusing the company of violating multiple terms of its lease.
In
a complaint filed in 11th District Court on Oct. 29, the county claims
Oxford Aviation breached its lease obligations and demands judgment for
possession of the property, which is off Number Six Road in Oxford.
According
to the county, Oxford Aviation violated 11 terms of the lease it signed
with county commissioners less than a year ago, following a three-year
negotiation. The lease expires in 2027.
The company, which
refurbishes and repaints aircraft, rents the 40,000-square-foot
property, including hangars, shop, pilot lounge, classroom and offices.
It was founded April 1, 1989, by owner and President James L. Horowitz
and has a staff of 60, according to its website. It has always operated
at the airport.
According to the lease, Oxford Aviation does not
pay rent to the county but is responsible for the cost for maintaining
the facilities it leases at the airport and for submitting quarterly
maintenance records to the county commissioners.
In an answer to the complaint filed in the court Wednesday, Oxford Aviation denied it breached the terms of the agreement.
A hearing is scheduled in 11th District Court on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
An attempt to reach Horowitz on Thursday was unsuccessful.
On
Sept. 23, sheriff's deputies served Oxford Aviation with a letter from
County Administrator Scott Cole listing seven separate lease violations
by the company and giving notice that the county intended to begin
eviction proceedings.
The letter claims Oxford Aviation did not
inform the county when its repair license was suspended by the Federal
Aviation Administration in June, failed to conduct airport maintenance
in accordance with FAA standards, did not provide quarterly maintenance
reports from April to July 2013, and failed to give the county proof of
insurance, among other violations of the lease.
According to the
complaint, Oxford Aviation failed to respond to the initial notice,
which was followed with another notice on Oct. 11, listing more alleged
lease violations.
The October letter alleges the company failed
to submit fees, maintain prices for parts, fuel and other services,
failed and refused to advertise the availability of flight training and
instruction and did not appropriately promote the county's airport
facilities.
Reached on Thursday, Cole said the lease gives the
company 90 days to correct any violations, but in this case it may be
considered an "incurable" default.
"You can't unring the bell," Cole said.
This
is the third lawsuit filed against Oxford Aviation in recent months. An
Ohio couple is seeking more than $674,000 in damages in a case filed in
August in which the company failed to properly reattach part of the
tail of their plane, causing them to crash-land in Colorado in May.
In
September, Community Concepts Finance Corp. sued the company for
allegedly defaulting on a $62,500 loan made in 1996. CCFC is asking to
take possession of collateral the company put up for the loan. A
discovery deadline in that case is set for January.
Source: http://www.sunjournal.com
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