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Airport provides a benefit to area:
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| By: Tim Knutson, Chetek |
November 10, 2009 |
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Having spent nearly 27 years of my life flying airplanes in the Chetek area and North America for pleasure and professionally, I have concluded that flying is a tremendous career, business tool, educational tool, benefit for medical emergencies and hobby. I do not own a hangar or base an aircraft at Chetek.
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Airport facts:
1. The $92.50 is the fee to lease the land under a hangar. Tenants who lease land have had to build a building that averages upwards of $80,000. These buildings are built with local purchased materials and labor. Once a building is built, there is a personal property tax bill on that building that averaged $884.86 last year.
2. I am aware of eight hangars that are on the airport because they serve a business application. That is more than 20 percent of the hangars are there to generate commerce in and around our local area.
3. The airport manager is an unpaid position with no reimbursement for the time put in attending meetings for compliance and improvement to state and federal standards. The Mr. Harrison you referenced spends countless hours making sure the airport is operative and safe (lights, weather computer, courtesy van, bikes, fuel system and upkeep) with no reimbursement.
4. The airport has hosted many Young Eagle events, giving hundreds of young people the chance for a free airplane ride. Some of these people might seek careers in aviation, reside in the area, pay taxes and volunteer hours of their own time to the community.
5. The airport has been the host of flights that introduced more than 12 Chetek High School students to flying after online courses on aviation at no cost to the School District of Chetek or the families.
6. The airport has hosted four yearly fly-ins. Because of these, more than $22,000 was donated to community organizations. Most supplies were purchased locally. Many people have had the chance to experience and observe the joy of flight.
7. The airport property provides room for much of Liberty Fest. The people of Chetek benefit from this event. The car show, parking for events and parking for the ski show all year.
8. The van and bikes at the airport make a desirable destination for aviation enthusiasts. Most have breakfast or lunch, even taking in shopping, Liberty Fest or the ski show.
9. Most aviation funding comes from taxes paid on aviation fuel and ticket taxes on airline tickets.
10. About lease enforcement, I have been present for at least four hangar inspections and know of no violations. The three hangars that do not have to have airplanes are locked into old leases. Should these hangars ever be sold, the leases will be updated.
For the complaining letter writer of last week and anyone else, contact me anytime with questions about airplanes or airports. I ask that you find out the facts and think about them before bashing an entity and group of people that actually provide a tremendous benefit.
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©The Chetek Alert 2010
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