Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today presented a plan to “maximize the economic potential” of the money-losing Dutchess County Airport in New Hackensack.
The statement, issued this afternoon, said seven major initiatives are needed to implement for the airport to achieve financial self-sufficiency and best serve the county as a transportation and economic development resource.
Despite the broader economic benefits attributed to the airport, the facility itself requires subsidy from county taxpayers. However, the airport has a positive $44 million impact for the county, the report said.
A new recommendation in the report is to seek a private operator for the fuel and plane servicing operation there, currently done by the county itself as Dutchess Aviation.
Many of the points made in a study done for the county refer to actions that county officials have been working on, including an effort to extend water and sewer service to the airport and surrounding parcels that have industrial or business uses or potential.
Other points include developing a marketing plan and continuing work with existing tenants to keep them at the airport.
The plan proposes to introduce legislation to revise the Airport Advisory Board to clarify membership criteria, meeting frequency and duties.
The plan also envisions relinquishing the county’s federal operating certificate “to achieve cost reductions,” but to continue operating the airport.
The full Dutchess County Airport Operational & Financial Assessment report can be found under the “related links” to the left this story.