Township committee grounds airport deal

Purchase too risky for taxpayers, Wantage decides, By Tom Hoffman WANTAGE — In the end, Wantage Township Committee members decided that buying the Sussex Airport was too risky. At its Nov. 12 meeting, the three-person Wantage Township Committee unanimously voted against purchasing Sussex Airport on County Route 639. A consultant hired by the township, Ron Price of QED Airport and Aviation Consultants of Amelia Island, Fla., said he believed a municipal-owned but privately-operated airport could result in a break-even operation. Price said the airport currently generates $2.7 million to the local economy in terms of jobs and revenues for local businesses. But the airport now needs quite a bit of work to its infrastructure, including improvements on its runways and taxiways. Price said it would cost the town an estimated $1 million to upgrade the airport, a cost that could be spread out over a 10-year period. “Although it sounds like a great idea (for the township to purchase the airport), we can’t put any (additional tax burden) on the taxpayers,” said Wantage Township Deputy Mayor Bill DeBoer, who also participated in a citizen’s advisory committee on the airport study. Mayor Parker Space said he would have been in favor of having the township purchase the airport from current owner Paul Styger if future revenues from the operation would have “offset” or lowered taxes for local residents. “But if it hurt taxpayers it wouldn’t be worth the risk,” he added. The potential tax burden for residents “was just too questionable,” he said. Not a profit-maker Under federal law, any airport such as Sussex Airport that has received federal funding is required to redirect profits back into the airport’s operations. So even if Wantage Township were to have purchased Sussex Airport and run it profitably, there wouldn’t have been any noticeable tax benefits for local residents other than retaining the airport property as a tax ratable. Because the airport has recently received federal funding, it is required by law to remain an airport for the next 20 years. Still, the fate of the airport remains unclear. In May, Styger pled guilty to embezzling $387,000 in federal grant money that was supposed to be used to renovate the airport. Styger faces a maximum prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for December. When reached by phone at the airport on Nov. 16, Styger said he has received recent offers for the 96-acre property but he declined to elaborate. Sources say recent bids for the airport have ranged in size from $1 million to $4.5 million. Styger declined to comment on the size of the offers he’s received. Airport future cloudy If Styger were forced to declare bankruptcy, it’s possible that the airport could be put up for auction. FAA representative Tom Felix said he wasn’t sure whether the FAA or the state might step in to rescue the airport. “We’ve never been in a situation like this before in this region,” said Felix. Price said that any buyer would be responsible for any liens against the property. The airport, said Price, could also be sold for the value of the liens, though he’s not sure what will happen. Said Price, “I’ve never seen a situation like this in 37 years.”