In an effort to start chipping away at the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport’s almost $1 million debt, a proposal to implement a landing fee was introduced to the City Commission on Wednesday, Sept. 18. But, as the local aviation community pushed back on the proposal and officials discovered it had not been reviewed by the city’s Aviation Advisory Board, the proposal was tabled.
The Ormond Beach airport has accumulated a total debt to the city’s general fund of $999,852, and it doesn’t generate enough revenue through its existing tenants to be self-sustaining. City Economic Development Director Brian Rademacher said the landing fee — $3 per arrival — was proposed by staff following the commission’s direction to reduce the airport’s fund debt. The city calculated the fees would generate $236,000 in net income and it had brought before the board a contract with Vector Airport Systems, LLC for their collection.
“The landing fee revenue will be used to cover our share of state and federal grants for capital improvements projects as we try to maintain this airport for the users of it,” Rademacher said…