Poplar Bluff airport continues to operate without a manager as city officials look at the future of that position.
City manager Mark Massingham turned to members of the airport advisory board for guidance Wednesday.
It has been suggested the position could be reduced to part time, Massingham said.
Board members and others at the meeting suggested that either way, a primary point of contact is needed to oversee operations and future projects.
Some members of the board proposed having a manager who could also assist with daily operations. At certain busy times of the year, the amount of work is more than the one full-time and one part-time worker can handle alone, they said.
The city has not advertised for an airport manager or named an interim manager since Lance Donze was fired in September, after three weeks of paid administrative leave. Massingham has said he cannot comment further on the matter because it is a personnel matter.
The airport manager is hired by city manager appointment.
"Right now, we're just trying to save a little money toward the end of the year and maybe get off to a better start in January," said Massingham.
He estimated the position costs about $5,000 a month.
Donze was hired in January at a salary of $47,000 per year. Benefits such as health insurance and vacation time bring the cost of the position to about $60,000 a year, Massingham said.
Board chairperson Shawn Berry said he understands the city's financial situation.
"My concern is that there was a lot on the agenda as far as future growth," Berry said. "We discussed bringing the air show back. There was a little glimmer of hope for a short time that we might move from just getting by to actually becoming a thriving airport."
He questioned who would handle future projects with the Missouri Department of Transportation and other issues.
Matt Richardson, chairperson of the private Municipal Airport Development Board agreed, adding a primary point of contact is important. The MAD board serves as a funding arm, which has overseen the construction of hangars.
"We were all disappointed that our last airport manager choice didn't work out," said Richardson. "That's behind us now and I think discretion would dictate that we be careful and take our time in selecting the next one."
There are a number of reasons to be concerned about a lack of manager, Richardson said.
"There's ongoing maintenance. There's the ongoing searching for fund money or grant money. Planning for projects that need to be done, that without a manager is really not getting done at this point," he said, adding, "I worry about liability. If something happens out there, and people come in and say who's your airport manager and we say we don't have one."
Some at the meeting asked if the salary would be enough to attract another manager.
"I would tend to agree with that. I'm not sure (this) salary would get us a real airport manager here," Massingham said.
Pilots suggested that pay would be closer to $65,000-$85,000 for an airport this size.
The airport is already operating at a loss, Massingham explained earlier, when giving a briefing of financial statements through September.
"Right now, the general fund contributes about $75,000-$80,000 a year and it probably needs to contribute about $130,000 a year to break even," Massingham said.
The value of the airport is more than the black and white figures, said city council member Susan McVey, who sits on the airport advisory board.
"You can't make it stand alone because it contributes so much more to our city," she said.
It is the first impression many prospective businesses have of the city, she said. It also brings business to hotels, gas stations and restaurants, she said.
The airport averages 15,000 landings and take-offs each year.
It has an annual budget of approximately $575,000.