Council presses for answers on proposed AVP bi‑county partnership as FAA grant deadline nears

Luzerne County Council spent an extended portion of its Oct. 14 work session discussing a proposed AVP bi‑county partnership that would allow a single sponsor to accept Federal Aviation Administration grants for the Wilkes‑Barre/Scranton International Airport.

Airport staff and outside counsel told council the FAA requires a single legal sponsor to sign federal grant agreements, and the draft partnership is intended to preserve the airport’s current board structure while satisfying that requirement. BJ Teachman, executive assistant/executive director at the Wilkes‑Barre/Scranton International Airport, told council that "the FAA has informed us that the grant funds are at risk if this is not done very soon," and estimated approximately $21,300,000 in anticipated federal grant funds over coming years tied to airport projects.

Council members pressed for specifics about cost allocation, emergency obligations and asset control. Several members said they were concerned that Lackawanna County has not been contributing to security costs and other airport expenses; they cited a recent instance when the county shouldered security costs after federal funding was reduced. Attorney Skeen, participating for the county, said the draft agreement is a "basic partnership" that required further detail in several areas and warned that unresolved disputes…