Despite concerns by two Eastport city councillors that the municipal airport is an undue tax burden on property owners, City Manager Ross Argir explains that, after reviewing airport accounts with city Treasurer Traci Claroni, over the last three years the total cost of the airport to the city's taxpayers has been an average of $2,300 per year.
     The next fiscal year could be higher because of a loss of rental income from the storage of wind blades by Federal Marine Terminals, but Argir is working on a letter of understanding with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on payment terms for a previous grant that would bring taxpayer costs down from about $14,200 to the $3,200 range.
     The Eastport City Council's 2‑2 vote on whether to accept a FAA $5.2 million grant with no match requirement at its September meeting garnered quick response from community members involved in business development, tourism and the airport itself. The council is expected to revisit the vote at its Wednesday, October 9, meeting because Councillor Peter Small was not at the September meeting to cast his vote.
     Business owner Kevin Raye expresses his deep concern about the vote. "It would be extraordinarily disappointing and damaging to the future of the community if the grant is not accepted." He fully expects that he and a number of other Eastport Area Chamber of Commerce members will be at the October meeting to voice their support of the grant project.
     Eastport Port Authority Executive Director Chris Gardner notes that the port authority's board of directors discussed its concerns at its September meeting. "We are very lucky to have the port and the airport. [The two] allow us to connect customers." In some cases, such as when the breakwater collapsed a few years ago, it meant that Peter Vigue and other Cianbro staff flew in "within days to see what they could do to help."
     "I'm hopeful the council will revisit and vote in favor," Gardner adds. With his hat on as county commission chair, he says that while he recognizes the city's decision‑making prerogative, "We want to see a strong infrastructure network in the county." The city's airport 4,000-foot runway length means it is the "top‑tier runway in the county."
     Captain Robert "Bob" Peacock points out that the airport's runway length combined with the fuel station means that search-and-rescue crews from out‑of‑state don't have to lose valuable search time for a 1.5-hour flight to refuel elsewhere. The pavement and length are long enough "for heavier Coast Guard aircraft, larger jets. In the summer it's used extensively for search and rescue, military refueling, clearing customs," says Peacock. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that the agency cleared about 20 international arrivals for private aircraft during this past summer.
     "We're very lucky to have fuel certified for over‑water flight. It's extremely important if you're in a helicopter," says Peacock. He adds from personal experience, "When you're in the water, every minute counts. So the timing of refueling is critical."

LifeFlight of Maine and airport's importance
     Joshua Dickson, LifeFlight of Maine flight medical crew member and aviation systems coordinator, points out that FAA wants to see a minimum of nine aircraft housed at an airport to consider it viable. Sometimes airport committees "get a rap that it's a club house," but LifeFlight doesn't see it that way. Dickson explains that airports are medical access points for regions where medical care is not immediate and full service, particularly for surgical and emergency care. With Calais Regional Hospital having filed for bankruptcy and neonatal and surgical care shut down or reduced, LifeFlight only expects to see the need for its services increase, particularly with Washington County's aging population.
     In the last three years LifeFlight had 163 missions to the area that utilized the Eastport airport. Of those eight were children, four were prenatal emergencies and 25 were Eastport residents. The organization has seen a 10% increase in its services every year and projects at least that rate of increase into the future.
     "Eastport has a pretty decent airport, especially by Maine standards," Dickson says. The length and the level of maintenance done by the volunteers make the airport stand out. Machias, he says, has been working hard to get its runway extended so that it can accommodate LifeFlight, "and we're doing all that we can to support their efforts," but until that happens, the Machias airport is a hard place for his organization to land. Instead, they arrive in Eastport to serve the region. Not maintaining an airport in rural Maine is like not maintaining a fire department, Dickson says.
     LifeFlight uses both helicopters and airplanes, with planes particularly important when icing conditions arise with winter weather. Helicopters need an instrument approach, which the airport has. It also has FAA-certified weather-reporting equipment "that we need," Dickson says. Without that equipment, "there would be a big black hole in weather reporting" for the region, making landings impossible much of the time. Eastport Airport Manager Steve Trieber notes that LifeFlight pays for the repair and certification of the weather station.

Grant terms, volunteer contributions
     The FAA grant of $5.2 million is rare in that it requires no 5% match. It was procured for the city by U.S. Senator Susan Collins with the approval of the previous Eastport City Council and manager. The grant requires a $275,000 engineering study, with costs reimbursed by the grant at the completion of the project. The city would need to take out a loan, with interest that is not reimbursable through the grant. However, Trieber and airport association President Deb Nelson say that the association would be willing to pay up to $5,000 of the interest costs.
     Argir notes that the "three‑year time period provides us with a lot of 'buffer time.' If all goes well, we would have our money back within a year."
     The grant requires a 20‑year commitment to maintain the airport, but because the city is already two years into a previous 20‑year FAA cycle, Argir explains, it would only add two years to the city's commitment. He adds, "You can't just close an airport. It's considerably more difficult than that."
     At the September council meeting, Councillor Scott Emery had said the airport "was a joke." Argir notes that two FAA staff and one LifeFlight of Maine representative are expected to be at the October meeting to discuss the airport's importance and the grant. Argir says, "At city hall we're trying to present the council with as much information [as we can for them] to make an informed decision."
     There are 12 members of the airport association. Among many services they perform as volunteers, they mow and plow, keep the runway free of debris and other hazards and field phone calls about the airport, which number on average seven per day, 365 days per year. They take care of the fuel station, do FAA‑required filings, run airport travelers into town or loan them vehicles and, with 31 volunteers, put 215 hours into the annual July 4 pancake breakfast, a major fundraiser for the airport that returns about $3,500 to the airport's budget.
     There are eight privately owned hangars at the airport. The land for each hangar is leased from the city for either $285 or $65 in exchange for at least 40 hours of volunteer work on the airport per year. At least half of the hangar owners put in well over the 40 hours, with Trieber putting in 30‑35 per week while he's in Eastport and continuing year‑round fielding calls; Nelson putting in about 20 hours a week while she's in the city; and Perry resident Pat Candelmo averaging "at least 20 hours a week year round," says Trieber. Two owners pay the full hangar amount and six pay the $65 amount. Two members receive a 57-cent-per-gallon fuel discount and four receive a 25-cent-per-gallon discount. Volunteers are responsible for all utilities and access to the hangars.
     "If the volunteers weren't maintaining the airport it would certainly cost [the city] more than what the volunteers are getting in hangar and fuel discounts," Argir says.