Airport operator seeks rent break

Municipal airport operator James W. Latour has requested forgiveness of rent and utilities from June to September because the municipal airport was battered by the June 1 tornado.

The town countered by reducing the monthly rent from $1,300 to $250 for June, July, August and September.

But that offer comes with a caveat - that Mr. Latour must get up to date on rent, according to a letter from Town Manager Christopher Clark to Mr. Latour.

Fifteen airplanes and two of the airport's six hangars were destroyed in the tornado. The manager estimated $1.5 million to $3 million in damage at the airport.

Reached by phone yesterday, Mr. Latour said he could not answer questions about the offer, counteroffer and arrearage because he didn't have the numbers in front of him.

Airport Commission member George P. Chenier said Mr. Latour has owed full rent since March. Mr. Chenier said he did not know that Mr. Latour was behind to that extent until the commission requested rent and utility forgiveness on Mr. Latour's behalf.

Mr. Chenier, who is relocating and whose last day on the commission is Friday, said the panel has to do a better job of oversight.

According to the town's letter, it denied Mr. Latour's request of forgiveness on his arrearage.

Mr. Clark said Mr. Latour already gets an automatic discount if he doesn't have planes inside the new T-hangars. This "automatic built-in market-condition element" states that if the hangars are unoccupied, a reduction of $175 per empty unit is applied to the monthly rent.

Mr. Clark said he offered to invoke the clause for six empty units, totaling a $1,050 monthly lease reduction from June to September, which he called "fair and equitable" based on the current circumstances.

"I recognize that you have suffered a significant loss in your ability to rent space; however, you have not lost all of your rental income potential as you still retain half the number of hangars and all of your tie-down spaces," Mr. Clark wrote.

That means, Mr. Clark said in an interview, "He's paying $250 (per month from June to September) to operate a full airport that currently has 12 planes and 80 tie-downs."

The manager said he would like Mr. Latour, who has done "a reasonably good job," to stay in his role, but a better business plan seems to be needed.

Last week, town councilors unanimously approved appropriating the first $100,000 from the town's insurer for tornado damage at the airport. Airport officials were working with the insurance company and engineers on what needs to be replaced.

The airport represents 90 percent of damage to public property in town, Mr. Clark said.

In the offer, the manager also required Mr. Latour to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration because the airport operator and his mechanic may be eligible for federal grants that would make up the difference between the normal rental income and post-tornado rental income.

"If you are able to recover full value of your lost income," Mr. Clark wrote, "I would expect that full payments be made to the town on your leases during that same period of time. I do not believe that tornado damage caused by nature should lead anyone, including the town, to attempt to gain a windfall from this tragic event."

Mr. Clark said it was his intent to work with the insurance company to rebuild the lost infrastructure and build it better than it was before and in compliance with current codes and regulations.

For instance, the old hangar must be replaced and meet modern Federal Aviation Administration and building-code requirements.

Mr. Clark said in the interview that this "crisis has created opportunity for a newer facility," and he hoped Mr. Latour would "take advantage of it."