Elected leaders in Warren County are set to explore privatizing some services at the county owned airport. Time Warner Cable News reporter Matt Hunter has more on why supporters believe it will lead to big savings for taxpayers.
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. – Searching for the means to pay for projects like a courthouse expansion and road improvements, Queensbury At-Large Supervisor Mark Westcott believes Warren County can save money by privatizing all or some services at Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport.
"How much is yet to be determined, but I think it could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and then put that money toward more roadwork," Westcott said Thursday.
The Board of Supervisors' budget committee, which Westcott sits on, agreed to explore the idea at its Wednesday meeting. In 2015, the county-owned airport cost taxpayers $846,000.
While public employees do handle services like snow plowing and mowing, for the past seven years, the county has contracted with developer Rich Schermerhorn's company, Rich Air, to manage the facility.
"To me, it is overkill here,” said Westcott, a Republican. “I think there is a way to do this more effectively and efficiently."
Reached by phone Thursday, Schermerhorn said he's open to working out a new arrangement with county leaders, believing he can help save taxpayers money by eliminating some redundancies. However, he believes it's imperative that the nearly half-dozen county employees who work at the airport be transferred to other departments and keep their jobs.
"He could come in with his team, and get the mowing done and get the plowing done," Westcott said.
Glens Falls Ward 1 Supervisor Dan Girard, who chairs the county facilities committee that oversees the airport, declined comment until it can be discussed at next week's public meeting. David Morrissey, president of the Glens Falls Pilots Association, also offered no opinion until more information is available.
Acknowledging the potential privatization process needs to be reviewed by attorneys and possibly opened up to public bidding, Westcott believes his idea will only benefit taxpayers in the long run.
"I think there is a way to find savings here at this airport without diminishing the quality of service," Westcott said, "and that is what I have challenged the county to do."