The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members reopened a discussion concerning the waiver of rent to Alpha Flight at the Plymouth Municipal Airport.
Airport Manager Bill Sheley previously asked if the entire rent of $1,943.50 a month be waived for three months to show appreciation to the commercial company for bringing in revenue. Alpha Flight representatives present flight school instruction for students in a nine school corporation cooperative in the area. He stated that the company has doubled the typical monthly fuel purchases at the airport since the spring of last year. They did close for two weeks in order to observe COVID-19 health related actions, social distancing and the governor’s stay-at-home order.
Plymouth officials tabled the request two weeks ago and brought it back for discussion Monday night. Instead of waiving the office and hangar rent for three months at a total cost of $5,838.50, Sheley presented a different proposal of forgiving just the office rent of $650 a month for three months for a total cost of $1,950.
Sheley added that they will be receiving a $30,000 federal grant to help with operations at the airport from the CARES Act in response to COVID-19.
With the current uncertainty of the impact of COVID-19, the board members seemed a little more receptive of the second proposal. The request was approved with a unanimous vote.
As for setting a precedent moving forward, City Attorney Sean Surrisi commented that there aren’t many similar leases or rentals in the city that would be affected other than rentals in the park and farm rent.
