The Bradford Regional Airport Authority unanimously passed its
2006 budget Wednesday, marking the sixth year in a row the
organization has been able to balance its books.

Meanwhile, an administrative assistant has been hired to the
airport staff to provide help with the airport’s marketing effort,
which officials hope eventually leads to increased passenger
traffic at the rural facility.

According to a copy of the budget, the total spending plan
stands at $544,327, an increase of nearly $20,000 from this year’s
budget.

While the copy of the budget shows a $77,453 deficit, Airport
Manager Tom Frungillo said the airport’s general fund balance will
help make up the shortfall. The authority’s total income stands at
$466,874.

“We haven’t always had that fund balance in the past to help
make up any differences,” Frungillo said, adding some of the
funding will come from the authority’s oil income, which has grown
over the past few years, along with other additional sources. “The
bottom line is, the budget will be balanced again for the sixth
year in a row.”

Frungillo said the authority has held the line with county
subsidy and has not had to ask for an increase in that area for six
years.

“Our goal is to not increase the county subsidy, and in the
future lower it if possible,” Frungillo said, adding the last
change to the subsidy came in 2000-01 when there was a 20 percent
decrease.

Authority Chairman and McKean County Commissioner Clifford Lane
echoed Frungillo’s thoughts, saying “The goal is to keep it flat,
as far as county support is concerned.”

McKean County will turn over $168,000 in subsidy to the airport
next year; Elk County, $24,445; and Cameron County, $5,432 – for a
total subsidy of $197,877.

Meanwhile, Frungillo said like all municipalities, the airport
is struggling with unpredictable costs for natural gas and
electric.

“Those are the hardest things to account for,” Frungillo said,
noting he bumped up the line item for equipment expenses by $6,000
from $14,000 to $20,000. “That is a direct result of the gas
uncertainties. Everything else is pretty similar to last year,
however.”

According to the budget, the line item for electric stands at
$28,000, while $2,000 more was allotted for natural gas expenses to
$32,000.

Breaking down the budget further, total labor costs are
$265,248, with Frungillo’s salary of roughly $48,000. Group health
insurance stands at $25,000.

On the income side of the ledger, the budget lists a total of
$50,000 for de-icing; $175,000 in jet fuel; $41,000 in rent for
carrier Colgan Air Inc.; $42,000 in hangar rent; $12,000 apiece for
rental car concessions and for the restaurant; $5,574 in rent for
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA); and $3,255 in
display case rent.

In a related note, the authority approved changing auditing
firms to Catalano, Case, Catalano & Fannin, with the authority
paying $300 more to make the switch.

Lane said the new firm focuses on airport audits. Officials said
the nearby DuBois airport currently uses the firm.

“We are hoping they can help us find even better financial
practices and additional revenue sources,” Frungillo said.

In other news, Alicia Dankesreiter has joined the airport staff
as an administrative assistant.

According to Frungillo, Dankesreiter will earn a salary of
$26,000 a year, making $12.50 an hour. The airport manager said
Dankesreiter will be lending a hand in marketing efforts and other
air service issues. She was hired shortly after the authority’s
last meeting in September.

Frungillo said Dankesreiter will help work under the auspices of
the Small Community Air Service Development Program, which is a
$220,000 federal grant the airport received under the U.S.
Department of Transportation. The program helps communities address
the challenges of local air service, such as high fares and
insufficient levels of service. The airport was one of only two
facilities across the state to get the funding.

In the future, airport officials hope to create a Web site to
tout the facility and are looking to form a council comprised of
business people to help direct marketing.