Manager’s job takes flight

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: September 09, 2008

Vernon’s airport has been engulfed by turbulence again. Grahame Go has been notified that his services are no longer required as manager as the City of Vernon moves ahead with restructuring the airport. He had been there for five years. “None of it makes sense,” said Doug MacAuley, who was chairman of the airport advisory committee, which was recently scrapped by the city. Under the restructuring, the position of airport manager will be discontinued and a supervisor’s job will be created. The supervisor, which will be a union employee, will be responsible for maintenance and operations and report directly to the city’s manager of public works. “Mr. Go has been given notice and the end date is Oct. 10. He has also been notified that he will be able to apply for the supervisor’s position,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. The decision to eliminate the manager’s job was a result of the city taking over fuel sales at the airport, the ability of the city’s real estate manager being able to handle leases and a yet-to-be-hired economic development officer marketing the airport. “This made the position of airport manager redundant,” said Lippert.

“One of our mandates is to look at the efficiencies of the airport.” It’s expected the city will save at least $67,000 a year by not having a manager and providing fuel services instead of using a contractor. MacAuley believes that while the restructuring is an attempt to reduce costs, it’s not the best route for the future of the airport. “There is a lot more to running an airport than having a supervisor there. They won’t have the same pride or interest in making it go,” he said. MacAuley also points out that the airport and Go won the B.C. Aviation Council’s William Templeton Trophy for outstanding initiative and achievement last year. Despite that, there has been significant upheaval at the airport.

In August, the city disbanded the airport advisory committee, which was largely made up of user groups or adjacent residents. That led to some accusing the city of muzzling those directly impacted by the airport. Also that month, there was the possibility that the airport could be closed after a lease dispute broke out between the city and the owner of parts of the lands the runway is on. Eventually, though, a long-term deal was reached. Some users of the airport also questioned operations in late 2007, including communications between them and the city, the financial cost of running the airport and the negotiating of hangar leases. Lippert admits many of these issues have led to the restructuring plan. “We heard a number of concerns about (taxpayer) subsidies to the airport, communications and operations. This will give clarity to airport users and others about the role of the city at the airport,” he said.Go declined to comment when contacted by The Morning Star.