Airport cutting pay rate, not jobs, in county budget crunch

Published 4:00 pm Monday, February 26, 2007

The Grant County Regional Airport is trimming its payroll this spring in anticipation of budget cuts.

Gary Judd, airport manager, recently proposed a plan to cut about $10,000 from the budget.

Judd said he can’t do much about operating expenses – fuel purchases, utilities, insurance and maintenance – but he found room for change in payroll costs.

The airport employs two to four part-time “relief” workers. Judd said the jobs, originally filled at minimum wage, got a pay hike about four years ago when he had trouble finding help at that pay rate. But with the initial increase and subsequent cost of living raises, the pay has reached about $15 an hour.

Meanwhile, Judd said, that enhancements at the airport have reduced the skill level required for those jobs.

He proposed dropping the pay to $10 per hour.

“In light of the budget situation, decrease in duties and in an attempt to be more in keeping with local wages, I believe a wage of $10/hour is reasonable, and will avoid a drastic cut in operating hours,” he told the Court.

Judd said later that staffing the airport as many hours as possible is important because a closed airport office means lost fuel sales. Pilots may land and depart, rather than fueling up and visiting the area.

“Just last weekend, somebody landed and wanted to go into town, to get a courtesy car,” he said. Currently, the office is closed on weekends, so that opportunity was lost.

Judd sees that as a missed opportunity not just for the airport, but for local restaurants and businesses.

“The impact to the community is huge,” Judd said of the investment by fly-in visitors.

Currently Judd has two part-time relief workers. He said the number changes with demand. For example, he needs more workers during fire season when there is intense use of the airport by fire crews.

Judd said increasing staff will be easier at the lower pay rate. And he offered a comparison of similar jobs in the industry to bolster his proposal, showing that the $10 was in line with other areas.