Cleveland airport advisory board seeks city explanation after flat hangar rent increase

The Cleveland Airport Advisory Board pressed city leaders for a clearer explanation after City Council implemented a flat-dollar increase to hangar rents rather than the percentage-based increase the board recommended.

Board member Doug (board member) said the board had voted to recommend a percentage increase, limited to 5%, and to add contract language tying future increases to the Consumer Price Index. He told the board the city instead applied a flat-dollar increase and issued new tenant contracts that did not include the CPI language the board had requested. "It is my opinion that that was not fair and reasonable," Doug said, describing how lower-cost, older hangars saw about a 22% increase while newer, higher-rate hangars rose roughly 7.8%.

Doug said he met Oct. 13 with the mayor, the city manager and Airport Director Eric Galindo to ask why the city adopted the flat-dollar approach. The meeting lasted about an hour, he said, and he left urging better two-way communication between the board and city leadership so the board can explain council decisions to tenants.

Board members said they represent tenants and field many questions; several speakers expressed frustration at an apparent lack of feedback after the council's action. Greg Modell (board member) and others said the board is a volunteer advisory body and stressed that clear rationale would help them support and explain city choices to the airport community.

The board cited the wide range of hangar conditions and rents at Cleveland Airport as the basis for recommending a percentage increase: rents before the change ranged from about $2.25 to $650 per month across nine rate tiers. Board members said a percentage approach would have kept increases proportional to existing rents and asked the city to consider adjustments that would be perceived as fairer by tenants.

No formal council rationale was provided in the board meeting transcript. Board members asked that the city share the financial need or revenue target that prompted the larger dollar increase so the board could discuss alternative structures (for example, phased percentage increases) and better inform tenants.

Votes at a glance

The board approved the minutes of the Sept. 4 special airport board meeting during this session. The transcript records a motion, second and a voice vote that the chair called "approved," but does not provide a roll-call tally or the names of the mover and seconder.

What happens next

Board members said they plan to continue pursuing an explanation from City Council and to request a joint conversation so the board understands the city's fiscal reasoning. They emphasized the board's role advising the council on airport matters and urged clearer, documented feedback when council decisions differ from board recommendations.