Airport Lease Up

Starlee Speers, Astral Media Radio - Vernon

The owners of a portion of the lands Vernon airport is operating on says they're terminating the city's lease. Cindy Brewer says she and her husband have been in negotiations with the city since 2006 and and now they've lost patience and have now been left with no alternative. Brewer says an agreement was reached in mid July but the city has since retracted their offer and refused to pay. She says they've now been told if they don't sign an agreement the city will no longer provide water and sewage services to their adjacent property. She says that's blackmail and the city's lease will be terminated as of August 31st. Brewer says they won't be bullied by the city. The property in question is located in the centre of the actual airport runway.

Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert says, negotiations are not just with John Jack for the airport lease. Lippert says, the city isn't withholding money but they can't write a cheque without a signed lease agreement. He says Indian and North Affairs Canada also plays a role in talks which are lengthy, because it's a 49 year lease. Lippert says, negotiations for the sewer and water service are separate from the airport lease and there's no intent to threaten or blackmail from the city's standpoint.