March 03--As a municipally owned airport, Morgantown Municipal Airport is unique in West Virginia.
However, because of that connection to the city, there is often a misconception about how the airport's operations are funded, Interim Airport Director Jackie Marhefka explained.
"The airport budget is separate [from the city's]. We're an enterprise organization, and as such we are expected to be self-sustaining," Marhefka said. "We operate on the funds that we generate on the property through fuel sales, office rentals, landing fees and hangar rentals."
The airport's 2013-'14 fiscal year operating budget, which was approved in June by city council, is $2,654,273.
Nearly 80 percent, or $2.1 million of that budget, is based on the sale of jet fuel ($1,494,000) and aviation gas for civilian ($315,000) and military ($291,000) aircraft.
With the sale of jet fuel to corporate clients making up such a large portion of the airport's revenue, Marhefka said the airport is always looking to attract new business.
"We work very hard to not only gain new customers, but keep repeat customers just like in any other business," she said, explaining, "We have a lot of corporate traffic here."
To that end, Marhefka said that despite the recent weather patterns, this month's fuel sales have been the highest she's seen in February in eight years.
Glen Kelly, Morgantown's assistant city manager, explained that one way the airport is looking to bolster its corporate clientele is through the construction of corporate hangars.
The airport is also able to secure annual funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) based on enplanements -- the number of passengers who board planes. Federal and state grants are also available, Marhefka said.
The airport currently employs eight people, including Marhefka, and has $205,765 budgeted for salaries and wages. That number jumps to $322,271 once benefits, retirement and overtime are factored in.
Marhefka explained that the staff is "smaller now than it's been in the last 12 years that I can account for." She said two part-time employees will likely be added in the near future.
Major expenses on the budget include the purchase of jet fuel and aviation gas at about $1.5 million.
Marhefka said keeping the airport in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration guidelines can also be costly, especially when dealing with aging equipment.
"We have to be in compliance ... and if we aren't, then we risk losing commercial service," Marhefka said. "You can't cut corners and you can't postpone anything."
When an emergency situation does arise, Marhefka said, the city is usually able to step in.
She said a recent example of this occurred when problems began with the heating and air conditioning units on the airport terminal.
"In those high-cost items, there's no way that we could foot that bill up front so we have to go to the city and ask them for the money ... and then we pay them back every time," Marhefka said.
The city is currently working through the budget process. Marhefka said she would likely begin working on the 2014-'15 airport budget in the next month or so.
Copyright 2014 - The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
