Friday, December 20, 2002
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Friday, December 20, 2002 |
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Off-airport user fee at Falcon Field to remain intact, but it's negotiable By JOHN
MUNFORD
The Peachtree City Airport Authority has declined a request to lower its "through-the-fence fee" for granting access to Falcon Field for businesses located off the airport. But the authority indicated that the terms of each individual "through-the-fence" contract can be negotiable. Currently, the authority charges a flat fee based on the square footage of the business that would use the access. The fee is set at 20 cents per square foot for the total hangar size and apron size. Mike Rossetti of Jet Limo, LLC, who is considering moving his charter operation here from Griffin, said he hoped the authority would want to welcome businesses such as his that would buy gas from the airport, which is one of the facility's biggest profit makers. Chairwoman Cathy Nelmes said she reviewed through the fence fees charged by other similar airports, and she still "felt comfortable with our fee structure based on what I found." Although Rossetti said the authority's current fee is driving businesses away from Falcon Field, Nelmes said that wasn't the case. "I'm saying this is not what is hampering the growth of this airport," Nelmes said. Although the authority is willing to negotiate the fee with individual businesses, "it's all got to be fair and equitable," Nelmes added. Any through-the-fence agreement that deviates from the current fee structure would have to be considered by the authority and discussed at a meeting before it can be approved, Savage noted. One option the authority could consider would be to give a rebate back to the businesses based on how much gas they purchase from the airport, Nelmes said. "We want to attract businesses to the airport," she added.
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