Billyman
08-28-2002, 12:15 AM
I can't get over this, I just can't. In the words of Susan Powders......"Stop the insanity!"
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/top/e26airport.htm
Local airport authority stalls
No local airfields leaves taxpayer-supported group idle
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By Daniel Duggan STAFF WRITER
ELGIN — Taxpayers in the northwest corner of Kane County funded an airport authority for 10 years — even though there has never been a commercial airport in that area.
And with a $32,000 budget levied from property tax bills, members of the Northwest Kane County Airport Authority Board admittedly do absolutely nothing.
"I don't think we've even met in the last two years," said Bob Frantz, of Huntley, who is the treasurer of the authority even though his term ran out in 2000. "We really don't do very much of anything."
In fact, there is only one member of the board who is technically serving, since the remaining members' terms have expired, according to county records. Frantz was unaware his term had expired.
Gerald E. Neill, of Hampshire, is the only member with a term that has not expired. His term expires in May 2003. The board is supposed to have five members, each appointed for a five-year term to the unpaid position.
"We don't meet, and we don't do that much," Neill said.
Frantz said the authority has been in existence since the mid-1980s. It received tax money from property owners in Rutland, Hampshire, Plato and Burlington townships from 1989 to 1999, according to tax records obtained by The Courier News under the Freedom of Information Act. The authority received between $1,200 and $1,400 per year, according to the records. It stopped levying for taxes in 1999.
Promoting a commercial airport
The authority was created by referendum in 1980. It was active with several proposals in the 1980s, including the expansion of the Landings airstrip in Rutland Township.
The authority also was involved with a project called Huntley Hills Corporate Center that included an airport at the corner of Illinois 47 and the Northwest Tollway.
Frantz said the authority was in opposition to that project.
The discussions to build a new airport subsided, but the airport authority remains in existence.
Over the years, board members met monthly and paid only for a post office box. Along the way, they changed their mission to promoting a commercial airport, Frantz said.
"We have taken a proactive stance to having an airport here," he said, though the board has taken no action to that end in nearly a decade. "As new members got on the board, the mission changed."
He said the tax money collected by the authority was put in growth bonds and could be used to aid in the development of an airport. But his books have never been audited, and when asked what oversight there is to the board's spending, he replied, "Only honesty."
The money, according to Frantz, would be used for advocacy and possibly legal bills in the event of an airport coming to the area.
"The money we have wouldn't even be enough if there was any type of legal action we had to get involved with," he said.
No link to private airports
There are two small private airfields in the northwest corner of Kane County — Olson Airport in Plato Township and the Casa de Aero subdivision in Hampshire — though the airport authority has very little contact with either.
Scott Olson, owner of Olson Aviation in Plato Township, said he went to a few meetings of the authority board a long time ago, but otherwise has had no contact with the group. He said the board has no oversight over his private airfield.
Frantz said the authority's involvement with Olson Aviation is that if Olson ever wanted to make his airport a commercial venture, the authority would oversee it.
Kane County Board member William Morse, R-Huntley, said the airport authority board has a viable purpose for providing airport oversight.
When asked about the fact that the terms are up for all but one member, he said he will look into making appointments.
"There hasn't been much interest in that board though," he said.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/top/e26airport.htm
Local airport authority stalls
No local airfields leaves taxpayer-supported group idle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Daniel Duggan STAFF WRITER
ELGIN — Taxpayers in the northwest corner of Kane County funded an airport authority for 10 years — even though there has never been a commercial airport in that area.
And with a $32,000 budget levied from property tax bills, members of the Northwest Kane County Airport Authority Board admittedly do absolutely nothing.
"I don't think we've even met in the last two years," said Bob Frantz, of Huntley, who is the treasurer of the authority even though his term ran out in 2000. "We really don't do very much of anything."
In fact, there is only one member of the board who is technically serving, since the remaining members' terms have expired, according to county records. Frantz was unaware his term had expired.
Gerald E. Neill, of Hampshire, is the only member with a term that has not expired. His term expires in May 2003. The board is supposed to have five members, each appointed for a five-year term to the unpaid position.
"We don't meet, and we don't do that much," Neill said.
Frantz said the authority has been in existence since the mid-1980s. It received tax money from property owners in Rutland, Hampshire, Plato and Burlington townships from 1989 to 1999, according to tax records obtained by The Courier News under the Freedom of Information Act. The authority received between $1,200 and $1,400 per year, according to the records. It stopped levying for taxes in 1999.
Promoting a commercial airport
The authority was created by referendum in 1980. It was active with several proposals in the 1980s, including the expansion of the Landings airstrip in Rutland Township.
The authority also was involved with a project called Huntley Hills Corporate Center that included an airport at the corner of Illinois 47 and the Northwest Tollway.
Frantz said the authority was in opposition to that project.
The discussions to build a new airport subsided, but the airport authority remains in existence.
Over the years, board members met monthly and paid only for a post office box. Along the way, they changed their mission to promoting a commercial airport, Frantz said.
"We have taken a proactive stance to having an airport here," he said, though the board has taken no action to that end in nearly a decade. "As new members got on the board, the mission changed."
He said the tax money collected by the authority was put in growth bonds and could be used to aid in the development of an airport. But his books have never been audited, and when asked what oversight there is to the board's spending, he replied, "Only honesty."
The money, according to Frantz, would be used for advocacy and possibly legal bills in the event of an airport coming to the area.
"The money we have wouldn't even be enough if there was any type of legal action we had to get involved with," he said.
No link to private airports
There are two small private airfields in the northwest corner of Kane County — Olson Airport in Plato Township and the Casa de Aero subdivision in Hampshire — though the airport authority has very little contact with either.
Scott Olson, owner of Olson Aviation in Plato Township, said he went to a few meetings of the authority board a long time ago, but otherwise has had no contact with the group. He said the board has no oversight over his private airfield.
Frantz said the authority's involvement with Olson Aviation is that if Olson ever wanted to make his airport a commercial venture, the authority would oversee it.
Kane County Board member William Morse, R-Huntley, said the airport authority board has a viable purpose for providing airport oversight.
When asked about the fact that the terms are up for all but one member, he said he will look into making appointments.
"There hasn't been much interest in that board though," he said.