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Oneonta committee reviews draft to let Otsego County nominate airport commissioners, tighten qualifications
Summary
The Oneonta Legislative Committee reviewed proposed changes to City Code Chapter 25 that would expand residency eligibility to Otsego County, add qualifications for Airport Commission members, clarify the airport manager role, and note a 60‑month fixed‑base operator (FBO) contract term.
Martin Camargue, chair of the Oneonta Airport Commission, presented draft revisions to City Code Chapter 25 at the legislative committee meeting on April 21, asking the committee to consider changing residency and qualification rules for airport commissioners and clarifying the airport manager’s role.
Camargue told the committee the draft would expand eligibility so commissioners may be residents of Otsego County rather than only residents of the city of Oneonta, and it would set out preferred qualifications for members. He said the commission proposes keeping the five‑member structure but having two members nominated by the county board chair and then forwarded to the mayor and common council for approval.
The changes aim to broaden the candidate pool for a commission the presenters said has been difficult to fill. Committee members confirmed the commission currently has four serving members and discussed increasing that to five so the commission can maintain fuller representation.
The draft also adds a qualifications section intended to ensure commissioners “have knowledge of how to run … the airport,” according to Camargue. Members discussed mirroring the historic‑committee approach of listing specific skills the commission seeks. The draft preserves the mayor’s role in forwarding nominees to the common council for final approval.
Committee members asked how the county‑nomination process would work over time if vacancies occur, and whether the city could appoint more county residents should local candidates be scarce. Camargue said the airport commission would maintain an interest list of potential appointees to keep a ready pool of candidates.
Members also discussed the airport manager role: the commission may nominate an airport manager for council approval or delegate hiring under a contract. Committee members clarified that if the manager is selected from among commissioners the position would not be paid unless a contract authorizing payment were later approved by the council. The committee noted that any contract would come before the council for approval.
Committee members raised operational questions about a possible fixed‑base operator contract noted in the presentation, including a 60‑month (five‑year) term. One member said a five‑year commitment raises concerns about committing to an operator before knowing longer‑term financial results; another member observed that many city contracts include exit clauses.
Members signaled support for advancing the draft code changes so they can be refined and brought to the common council for consideration. No formal vote on the amendment language was recorded at the meeting.
