The public may get some answers on Wednesday about a potential transfer of $146,432 from Schuylkill County to the Airport Authority.

That’s when commissioners expect to consider moving the money from the county contingency fund to the county contributions account.

The money was budgeted when the county mapped out its annual spending plan.

“As you know, we move it over there (to contingency) until the request is actually made,” County Administrator Gary R. Bender told commissioners on Thursday.

Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. requested Bender ask (airport manager) “Bill Willard and maybe their financial person” to attend Wednesday’s meeting “to have a discussion as to where they’re at financially, because we keep pouring money into that.”

Halcovage said he’d be talking with airport officials this week, and asked whether the board wanted to talk with them before voting on the budget adjustment that would make the money available.

“Or do you want to have that conversation afterward, Mr. Chairman?” he asked of Commissioners Chairman Barron L. Hetherington.

“I’m just trying to figure out why we’re putting money into the airport,” Halcovage said.

Commissioner Gary J. Hess said he’d like Airport Authority Chairman Noble C. Quandel Jr. or another authority member to also attend “to explain the reason” for the funding request.

“Not to just put it all on the employee up there, Mr. Willard,” he said.

Hess added that Willard “does a terrific job maintaining that.”

A wing and a prayer

The airport is just off Interstate 81 at the Minersville exit, about 8 miles west of Pottsville. It’s owned by the Airport Authority and handles aircraft for officials of businesses that operate in the nearby Highridge Business Park.

The park houses distribution centers and manufacturing facilities.

The county gives the Authority an annual contribution. Last year, it was $290,000. This year, it was about $256,000, Bender said.

Commissioners have also often added extra funds, forgiven loans or made the payments.

For example, in April 2022, commissioners approved the release of $181,689 from the county contingency fund to the Authority.

Commissioners Hess and Hetherington voted in favor of the transfer; Halcovage voted against.

Afterward, Halcovage said that a report had been done mapping out the airport’s plans to reach financial self-sufficiency within four years. But when Bender asked for the report, he was denied. And that, he said, was why he voted against the transfer.

In November 2021, commissioners agreed to forgive a $20,056 Authority loan payment. The payment was related to a $400,000 loan the county gave the airport authority in 2013 for a new hanger.

The previous May, commissioners approved a budget adjustment of $50,000 at the Authority’s request.

The $50,000 came from gaming revenue funds, according to Hetherington.

Also in 2021, commissioners forgave an interest payment of $5,056 for the authority.

In November 2020, commissioners forgave a loan payment of $20,293 for the Authority. That too was related to the $400,000 hangar loan.

In July 2020, commissioners agreed to give the authority $44,264 to cover a loan payment. The payment was on a $350,000 loan taken out in 2018 and guaranteed by the commissioners to help extend the main runway by 500 feet. The Authority had a received a $1.6 million grant for the project. In addition to guaranteeing the loan, the county contributed an additional $350,000.