By VICKI URBANIK

The Porter County Municipal Airport was granted approval Thursday to create three full-time positions in 2009, while tourism staffers, the county attorney, and planning board members won pay increases.

On the last day of budget hearings before final adoption, the Porter County Council agreed with a proposal from the County Airport Director Kyle Kuebler to hire an administrative assistant at a $34,920 salary and two line technicians, each at $34,920.

But the approval came with the stipulation that the airport keep the same property tax levy next year as this year. Of the airport’s total operating budget of just over $1 million this year, property taxes contribute about $445,000, while airport revenues account for the rest.

Kuebler proposed funding the three new positions out of the airport’s own revenue but sought an increase in the tax levy, of about $17,800, to keep up with inflationary costs. Council members expressed support for the new staff but rejected the higher levy.

Keubler said the new staff is part of the airport’s ongoing efforts to expand and modernize as it meets the increasing demands. He said the airport currently operates on 16-hour weekdays and 12-hour weekends, but that many call-outs for corporate and emergency medical flights take place after hours and are literally “flying over Porter County.”

The additional staff will move the airport toward a 24-7 staffing operation, he said.

Speaking from the audience, Lynn Ross, who used to be Washington Township Assessor and who now works in the county assessor office, said assessors have to assess the privately owned hangars at the airport even though the facilities are exempt from property taxes.

She said it seems “ludicrous” that taxpayers are paying to help expand the airport while the hangar owners don’t have to pay taxes.

Those voting for the increased staff, bringing the airport operating budget next year to $1.19 million with no change in the levy, were members Mike Bucko, D-4th, Jim Burge, R-at large, Karen Conover, R-3rd, Robert Poparad, D-1st, and Dan Whitten, D-at large. Rita Stevenson, D-2nd, voted no. William Carmichael, R-at large, was absent.

Stevenson noted that the council has not approved new full-time positions for other county departments. “In my heart, I can’t vote for this. We have to be fair to everyone,” she said.

Kuebler said he’s confident that the airport revenues will raise enough to cover the increased costs as directed by the council. “I’m confident we can fund it,” he said.

Tourism

At least twice before, Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission Executive Director Lorelei Weimer sought pay hikes for her employees but was rejected.

This time around, her request was granted. By a 5-1 vote, with only Stevenson voting no, the council hiked the salaries for four staffers by $2,505 to $5,927. The marketing director will now make $42,000; the director of finance, $40,000; and the partnership development and the public relations directors, each at $37,000.

Bucko said the county is “absolutely getting a deal on” the PCCRVC staff. He also said the situation is no different than it was for the prosecutor.

The council earlier approved pay hikes for prosecutor staff, partly on the grounds that the money will come from a fund other than the county’s general fund.

The PCCRVC is funded by a tax paid by those who stay at hotels and inns.

Stevenson objected, saying that the council was once again not treating all departments equally. “I don’t think it’s fair that certain people get certain raises,” she said.

During the discussion on the PCCRVC’s budget, Burge questioned the amount of money that the PCCRVC is paying for consultants and said the employees should be coming up with their own ideas for boosting tourism. “It seems to be inverted,” he said.

Burge also said he has found it a “little disheartening” in his travels not to find PCCRVC information at rest stops. Weimer said she’d look into this matter and said that PCCRVC brochures should definitely be along the stops on the Indiana Toll Road.

Other Pay Hikes

Also Thursday, the council approved a $5,000 pay increase for County Attorney Gwenn Rinkenberger, bringing her pay to $83,185.

Council members said the move stems from a promise made last year to hike the pay by $5,000 increments over two years due to the ongoing additional work stemming from the sale of the Porter hospital.

Once again, Stevenson was the only no vote.

Further, the council increased the per-meeting pay for the Porter County Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals to up to $100 per meeting, contingent upon the department fees generating the revenue to cover the higher costs.

County Plan Commission Executive Director Robert Thompson said the request for the higher pay was made because the current pay often doesn’t cover the members’ gas costs to go inspect the sites where new developments are planned.

Whitten supported the higher pay, noting that plan commission meetings often are so lengthy that they are “like a root canal that will never end.”

County Surveyor Kevin Breitzke also relayed a request from the Drainage Board President Dave Burrus to increase the pay for drainage board members, but the council took no action on this request.

Posted 8/22/2008