PARKERSBURG - The Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport Air Expo committee has lowered its request for additional funding help from $22,000 to $7,500.
"They said they have lowered the amount they still owe, $7,500 seems reasonable to me," said Wood County Commissioner Wayne Dunn.
"That would bring the total we've given them up to $25,000, which is the amount we've obligated in the past. But I would like to see the clarification and their numbers. We can put it on the rolling agenda for next meeting. They continue to try and reduce the amount owed and they are trying to get it to a more reasonable number. I think they are working diligently on it," commission President Blair Couch said.
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Photo by Pamela Brust
Clint Pifer, local architect/engineer, discusses layout for the new parking lot with Wood County Commissioner Steve Gainer and county administrator Marty Seufer. The lot is being constructed on the property which formerly was the site of the magistrate court building. The magistrate court was relocated to the new nearby justice center.
Committee officials informed the commission bills were significantly below what had been forecast, with the final amount outstanding a total of $10,708.
Back in October, Donna Rusche, committee co-chairman for the air expo, asked commissioners for $22,000 to help pay off debts from the Oct. 14 event. The county has already contributed $17,500. In March, county records show approval of a $10,000 donation to the air show; $5,000 of that was to come from contingencies and $5,000 from the hotel/motel tax innovative grant fund. An additional $7,500 was donated to the air show out of the county's year-end budget funds. For the 2010 air show the county allocated a total of $25,000. The expo is held every two years.
Rusche told commissioners at the earlier meeting fuel revenue was down, weather was a factor affecting sales of certain food items, parking revenues were less, insurance costs and transportation costs went up and the show lost some sponsors.
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In Other Business
Also Thursday, commissioners met with local architect/engineer Clint Pifer to discuss layout plans for the new parking lot.
The lot is located on the site of the former magistrate court building.
The magistrate court was earlier moved to the new justice center.
The lot is being asphalted.
In other business, commissioners voted to authorize the president to sign over the deed for the former Gustke Youth Shelter residence at 1611 Latrobe St.
"The deed is prepared. The organization, when the transaction was initially proposed, did not have its tax exempt status, but that has since been obtained," Prosecutor Jason Wharton told the commissioners.
Shad Martin with Not for Sale Ministries said plans are moving ahead to convert the former youth facility into a shelter. They hope to have it operational by spring. In March, commissioners agreed to donate the property to the ministry once that group obtained nonprofit status. The youth shelter expanded and was relocated to a St. Marys Avenue site more than seven years ago. By law, the commission must offer county-owned property at public auction unless they are transferring ownership to a nonprofit or other governmental entity. Martin worked with the Lynn Street Church of Christ and Courage to Change Ministries to tie the projects together and there will also be a ministry at the Lynn Street location.
