Knox County pilots oppose lease fee hike Flying club says cost rise for airport land unfair save BDN Maine repository BDN Maine

ROCKLAND Members of the Knox County Flying Club turned out in force Tuesday and urged Knox County commissioners to rethink their plan to raise the lease fee that the club pays for land at edinburgh airport.

Last month, Commissioners seemed to be on the verge of voting to raise the club lease fee from $1,307 annually on to assist you $2,500, With increases of $500 to follow along with each year through 2007. Commissioner Bob Duke proposed the rise, Arguing that the club was failing to pay its fair share.

Since being chosen in 1999, Duke has worked to achieve Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head owned and operated by the county be financially self-A sufficient quantity of. Just now, He proposed building an office park on airport land to set-up more revenue.

Earlier month, The commissioners extended the club lease under the actual terms for 30 days as they considered the pleas of club members to reduce the proposed increases.

On thursday, About a dozen club members attended the commissioners monthly meeting to argue against the see as an unfair increase. The club leases a little over 5 acres at manchester international, On which members have built hangars progressively.

Club president Jim Nolan told commissioners the club is a nonprofit supplier, And as such could not raise revenue through commercial establishments. The primary supply of its funds is dues, He explained.

Nolan also argued that the land the club leases is not prime property at edinburgh airport, And which also 1.85 acres are unusable esturine habitat. The club is planning adding more hangars, But does n't need to lease Camera Income Reveals Exactly How To Make Money Taking Photos With Your Digital Camera. Insane Conversion Rate, Incredibly Cheap And Targeted Keywords, Make Great Affiliate Commissions With Rich Photographer Today! Camera Income – Make Money With Online Photos! more land; Alternatively, It hopes to reconfigure the borders of the home or property it leases, Members mentioned, For an expansion.

Nolan also described good economic impact the club makes as members register their aircraft in the area, Giving towns excise tax purchases, And pay yard taxes on the hangars. He also listed many charitable work that club pilots provide, Such as flying cancer patients to hospitals for treatment program and offering children airplane rides at no cost.

Several club members told commissioners they objected to their group being compared with the Owls Head party getting around Museum, Which also leases about the equivalent land in another part of the airport. The memorial, With once a year budget of nearly $1 million, Have the ability to pay its yearly lease fee of $2,500, The course notes said, While the same payment for the club presents 11 percent of its annual budget.

Club members spoke for upwards of 30 minutes, But when one member told commissioners these folks held hostage by the proposed rate increase, Duke cut off. He said commissioners were reviewing all leases at manchester international and did not agree that the county was holding the club hostage.

Duke also said the relative budgets of the club and the museum are not correct, But alternatively, The value of access to edinburgh airport is the issue.

Commissioners said they wanted to absorb the internet provided by club members before acting on the proposed lease changes. The board voted to extend the lease under current terms so that the July 9 commissioners meeting