By: Marissa Bagg
BOCA RATON, Fla. – You could say the airport tower in Boca Raton is on borrowed time. Congressional representatives held an emergency meeting with local aviation experts in hopes of finding a solution to keep it open.
Congresswoman Lois Frankel and Congressman Ted Deutch were at Signature Aviation Wednesday to discuss the issue.
They say safety is their biggest concern, but they’re also worried about the economic impact to businesses that depend on the airport tower.
One possible solution is funding the tower without the FAA’s help, which would cost upwards of $650,000 per year. Local leaders don’t even know if the FAA will allow them to do that.
The Director of Aviation for Office Depot says the company came to Boca Raton in part because of the safety of the airport.
“Time is money and if we have to go 30 minutes in either direction to use another airport wouldn’t be good. But it’s going to be a consideration because it’s always safety first for us,” says Paul Loughrey, representing Office Depot.
This group has about one month to come up with a solution. The airport town is scheduled to close on May 5th, which is the third round of closures for towers on the chopping block in Florida.
Another emergency meeting is set for next week, as these local leaders try to find a solution.