Airport give-away a "crash and burn" deal for citizens of Peru.

In the long sordid history of sweet-heart deals in Peru, the unveiling Wednesday night of the "Airport Operations Agreement" has to rate as one of the sweetest. Alderman Mikyska has used his influence and position as airport committee chairman to essentially give away the Illinois Valley Regional Airport to Chuck Studer and Midwest Av-Tech. No strings attached and no real benefit to the city. Chuck Studer and Brian Hartman have put a lot of time and effort into this little scam. Back-slapping and ass-kissing has always been the shortest distance to easy money for connected insiders in Peru and this deal is no different. Here are the facts. Peru gives Midwest Av-Tech complete control of airport operations, including corporate hangar rent. But actually the only thing Studer is really interested in is the "very profitable" fuel concession. In order to sell the deal to the council Alderman Mikyska did a stellar job of "Cherry-Picking" the fuel sale numbers for us. He provided limited 2009 and 2010 totals which are not even close to historic averages due to recent construction at the airport and limited air traffic during that period. Mikyska stated the profit per gallon as only 32 to 36 cents. That was designed to show us fools in the audience that "poor" Chuck would only make a tiny profit from fuel sales and we should be grateful to him for taking this burden from us. In reality, the fuel sale numbers for 2003 thru 2008 show a very different profit picture. Those numbers show an average total gallons sold of right around 100,000 gallons per year. In addition, total profit per gallon, (which has previously been split between the city and Midwest Av-Tech) was about $1.00 per gallon. Sometimes a bit more. That is profit after costs and taxes of around $100,000 per year. Alderman Mikyska's logic is that we will save money as a result of lower insurance premiums, no city employee on site and Chuck will absorb the cleaning person who is about to retire anyway. Total savings said to be approximately $36,000. Midwest Av-Tech takes the corporate hangar rent of about $5,000 per year and Peru will continue to collect the T-Hangar rent at about $50,000 per year. Thanks Chuck. Here's how I see it. With a profitable fuel concession and steady hangar rent why should we give it away? I understand we will have operating costs and the need for an employee up there. But I see a neglected revenue source here. Why are our elected officials so inclined to give away the management of so many of our taxpayer owned assets. By doing so they are sending the worst possible signal to the citizens of Peru. The message is clear. We have no idea how to manage our own resources. They see the airport as a liability, not an asset. This is not as Chuck Studer said Wednesday, "a good deal for the city". This is a good deal for Chuck Studer and Midwest Av-Tech. I understand very well how businesses lobby and entertain elected officials in an effort to advance their own interests. I can accept that Chuck Studer and Brian Hartman have invested a great deal in order to cultivate personal relationships with aldermen and I know the reality of why they attend council meetings. That's just politics. What is so upsetting for me is that so many of our elected officials make such easy prey for these guys. This agreement could be approved by the council as soon as Monday. At some point in the near future I see vigorous hand shaking, lots of back slapping and numerous "atta boys" from Chuck and Brian to those aldermen who have made it all possible. SWEEEEEEEET!