Hamilton County Softens on Northern Kentucky Airport

Oct. 10, 2005
Relations between Hamilton County and the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport appeared to thaw Wednesday after a presentation by airport officials to the county commissioners.

Relations between Hamilton County and the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport appeared to thaw Wednesday after a presentation by airport officials to the county commissioners.

But even though both sides pledged to continue talking about disputed issues, a major point of disagreement - more and stronger representation from the Ohio side - will probably remain unresolved, officials from both sides conceded.

Several Hamilton County elected officials have been seeking more representation on the airport board.

But Wednesday, board chairman William Robinson III said any change in the board makeup was "out of our hands."

"That is up to the Kentucky state legislature to change our charter," Robinson told the board during a one-hour presentation to the commission's weekly meeting downtown.

Even Hamilton County commission president Phil Heimlich said that the commission "is very realistic about this."

"We are very encouraged that they came here and talked about all these issues," Heimlich said after the meeting. "But we're not trying to kid people - it's not like we have the ability to change how things are run."

Hamilton County and the city of Cincinnati can each appoint one non-voting advisory board member to the Kenton County Airport Board (the voting members are appointed by the judge-executive of Kenton County, which owns the Hebron airport). Those advisory members can vote in committee meetings but not on final measures.

Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune and county Auditor Dusty Rhodes have been vocal critics of the airport administration and its policies. Rhodes has accused the airport board and administration of mismanagement by tying the facility's fortunes so closely to Delta Air Lines, which is now in bankruptcy.

Both have argued stronger Ohio representation would provide new insight into issues such as:

Noise. Officials in Ohio are upset about what they believe is increased noise in western Hamilton County, noise that could increase with a third north/south runway, which is to open in December and is being dedicated today.

They also want a promise from the airport that it won't seek a replacement for DHL for night cargo flights, a promise Robinson said he could not give.

Airfares. County officials want a more concerted effort to attract more competition, including somehow getting more airlines into Delta-owned Terminal 3.

The financial status of the airport. Delta's bankruptcy has led many to wonder about the future debt levels, even though Robinson stressed that the airport is not on the hook for $430 million worth of bonds Delta took out to pay for its Terminal 3 complex.

"All of these issues impact us, and impact us a lot, and we should have a voice," Rhodes said. "We need representation that considers the best interests of the local traveling public and not what is just in the best interest of the airport."

Portune and Rhodes both said that disagreement still existed on many issues discussed, but both said that the meeting was "a positive start."

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