Mar. 10—EFFINGHAM — A proposal that would convert the role of Effingham County Memorial Airport Manager Jerry Tate to a full-time county position passed its first test Wednesday, with the county airport commission approving the plan.

Tate, who currently runs Tate's AV8 as a management company, would become a full-time employee of the county effective April 1. His overall role would remain unchanged, with his work servicing aircraft continuing under the new arrangement.

Airport Superintendent Greg Koester said the plan was a response to significant growth taking place at the airport, which makes a contract agreement like the one that has been in place with the Tate family for 38 years — since 1984 — less necessary than it had been in the past.

"Things have evolved over time," Koester said. "There's a big investment in the airport that can now justify a full-time county employee as opposed to someone there wearing two hats."

In addition to discontinuing the arrangement with the management company and converting Tate's role, the commission also approved a series of budget amendments to help pay for the transition, purchased fuel and other assets and amended the county's CARES Act grant specified for the airport to include a line about personnel instead of the contract services.

The budget amendments provide for new line items that designate the full-time management of the facility, along with a part-time employee to be hired later. With the management of the facility now in county hands, the purchase of fuel comes with a six-cent surcharge fee that would go into maintenance of the facility.

Two more hurdles remain before the plan becomes finalized. It's scheduled for a vote next Thursday in front of the Effingham County Board's Tax and Finance Committee before going to the full board on March 21.

Koester said concern remained among people who fly small-engine planes into the airport about Tate's role, with the county not interested in doing the servicing part of his job. He reiterated that Tate's overall role would not be affected by the change, with the main purpose of the agreement being to help the county sell fuel and maintain hangars, both existing and planned.

"That was one of the concerns," Koester said. "He plans on continuing that service."

As the proposal has not been approved by the County Board or signed by both parties, Tate declined comment Thursday afternoon. While he isn't opposed to the new arrangement, he wants something that will be fair to him and his interests.

"I'm not necessarily opposed to any of this — I just want to be treated fairly," Tate said during the meeting. "We've been there a long time. I'm anticipating being treated fairly."

Koester said there is still some reticence, in large part due to the fact that he will be a full-time county employee instead of pulling double duty. But with the growth of the airport in mind, he believes it will be a good arrangement for all.

"The airport operation and the business of the airport continues to grow," Koester said. "We're making some significant investments in the future — the runway extension, additional hangars — there's just a lot of investment coming into the airport. We're very fortunate to have the airport we have."

Zach Roth can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at (217) 347-7151 ext. 132 or (217) 899-4338.

___

(c)2022 the Effingham Daily News (Effingham, Ill.)

Visit the Effingham Daily News (Effingham, Ill.) at www.effinghamdailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.