Committee Approves CREDC Operation At Dunkirk Airport
A temporary solution for the Dunkirk Airport fixed-based operator services conundrum may have been found by the county executive.
At Monday’s Public Facilities legislative committee meeting, the committee members approved a resolution to go before the legislature which would allow the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation to provide FBO services at the airport from Nov. 1 until July 31, 2018. The CREDC is a nonprofit local develpment corporation that is meant to aid in and promote the economic development of the county and lessen the burdens of government. The CREDC would only operate the services until another fixed-based operator is selected.
In September, County Executive Vince Horrigan received a letter from Dunkirk Aviation stating operations would cease at the airport. Services at Jamestown airport will not be interrupted.
The operation currently provides refueling and hangaring to clients, alongside flight training services that are now being conducted in Jamestown. The service has been provided since the early 1960s by Dunkirk Aviation, according to a previous report by The Post-Journal.
Chuck Nazzaro, D-Jamestown, clarified that only two months notice had been given when three was due. The county executive said the matter could be discussed in executive session, but the first matter in the process would be to have a smooth transition and then move on to part two of the process.
The committee entered into an executive session to discuss the previous employment history of a particular corporation. The committee then came back into regular session to approve that the resolution be recommended to the legislature.
Prior to the vote, Bob Scudder, R-Fredonia, had a few words to offer.
“I’ll probably vote for this, but I’m still concerned about the life of the airport in Dunkirk,” he said. “It concerns me and that’s all I’m going to say.”
Chairman John Hemmer said he thought everyone was concerned about the airport.
“Well, some seem to be more concerned than others,” Scudder replied.
Nazzaro said he would support the resolution as well.
“I’m going to support this just so there is not an interruption of service,” he said.
The resolution will now be reviewed by the Audit and Control committee on Thursday and will be voted on by the full legislature on Oct. 25.
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