Biddeford City Airport Faces Vote to Close Down

The fate of the Biddeford City Airport(BAC) will be decided on June 4th at the Biddeford general election.
At what cost though is a major concern that is running through the minds of the Biddeford citizens.
Money is an important issue when it comes to the airport, according to Paul Archambault, Chairman of Shut Our Little Airport(SOLA).
Archambault, who has lived at the end of a runway for twenty-four years said, "Once we started looking at the airport, we came to the conclusion that there is no financial benefit at its existing size and capacity. It continues to be a tax burden."
Their is truth to Archambault's argument, the cost of running the airport from 2006 to 2008 was $179,000 while the airport was only able to make $168,000.
Roland Pelletier who has lived next to the airport for twenty-five years supported Archambault saying, "The money is the biggest thing. If it was self-supporting, fine. Let it go on."
People in Saco are also getting behind the words of the SOLA chairman and hope that the people of Biddeford agree with Archambault and Pelletier.
Saco resident Josiah Calef said, "We entrepreneurs in Saco would be happy to start an airport. Problem is, the Federal Aviation Administration (AFF) would not allow it because there is an existing airport in Biddo. Adding an outsiders view on Biddeford's issue.
Not everyone in Biddeford would like to see the airport go though. Phyllis Landry, a pilot who keeps a jet at BAC, stressed the convenience of BAC saying, "If I couldn't fly out of here I'd have to go to Sanford or Portland."
Another issue facing the airport is how it's being used. Not by pilots, but by the Biddeford community.
Airport manager Tom Bryand said, "We have pedestrians, motorcycles, four-wheelers (and) ATVs all using it. They just use it as a backyard and that's against regulations."
Landry was more specific when speaking about violations when he said, "Once about five years ago I had to abort a takeoff because a bunch of neighborhood kids ran onto the runway right in front of my plane. That's very dangerous."
The Biddeford City Council can't decide if convenience or money is more important though, according to city manager John Bubier, "The City Council really hasn't come down on one side of the issue or the other. I think they'd prefer to have the voters settle this one."
Perhaps what the voters need to settle on is how much they are willing to shell out to close the airport.
While the airport might have cost taxpayers $11,000 in the last three years alone that's nothing compared to the $3 million that will be taken from general operation funds to close down the airport.
Looking at ways to make more money off the airport might be a better use of time than deciding to close it down or not.
Half of 47 planes based at BAC are owned by corporations and Landry has also noticed, "It's a great resource. I know business people who fly in here all the time."
If business people are flying in all the time and figuring half the jets at the airport are owned by corporations than their could be a way to turn BAC into a self-sustaining business after all.