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Board takes steps to shore up Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport’s finances
Posted On 16 Oct 2013
The Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport Board of Directors took steps Tuesday to get its financial house in order by replacing its former bookkeeper after learning earlier this month that the airport is broke, creditors were knocking at the door, billing was spotty and financial records were disorganized and incomplete.
During a special meeting, board members voted unanimously to hire local businessman Don Strickland as the new bookkeeper, essentially ousting former bookkeeper Rebecca Steely in the process.
“Rebecca Steely is no longer associated with the board,” interim airport manager Butch Housman, also a member of the board, said following the meeting. “We want to thank her for her diligence and hard work. She’s done a lot for the board over the years.”
During the board’s last regular meeting on Oct. 2, members learned that the airport was in a grave financial situation. The board had no money to operate. In fact, Steely said at the time its main account was overdrawn.
After a cursory look at the most recent fiscal year financial report, Strickland said there were a few odd things he noticed about the airport’s finances. For instance:
• Last year, the airport actually lost money on fuel sales. Also, fuel inventory never changed, according to records, over the entire year.
• Two one-year loans the board has with separate banks — one for roughly $268,000 and the other for $270,000 — saw no decline in their principal since payments were only made on interest.
• Invoicing to local governments for funding was spotty.
• No general ledger sheets or other financial records were provided to corroborate the financial statements.
Board Chairman Tim Mays, who took over leadership of the board on Oct. 2, said Steely has agreed to work with Strickland to provide all necessary financial documents.
“We don’t have everything yet, but she said we can get them,” he said. “We are basically just moving to a new bookkeeper and she’s OK with that. We are trying to do as many things as we can from a fresh start … out there and above board.”
Mays noted that fuel sales are going to be more closely tracked in the future and noted that poor recordkeeping had caused the loss last year in fuel sales. He said improper billing to Air Evac Lifeteam — a medical helicopter service that operates a base at the airport — forced the company to pay an estimated cost for its fuel purchases.
“We are going to become much more aggressive as a board in needing spot on, up-to-the-minute information,” Mays said. “The system [Rebecca] was using probably wasn’t attuned to that form of accounting.”
Strickland does bookkeeping for some local law firms, and is also the bookkeeper for the Whitley County Public Library Board of Directors. He is owner of Hollywood Video in Williamsburg and is a retired auditor from the Kentucky Revenue Cabinet.
He agreed to work for two months at $15 an hour, a request the board approved. At the end of the two-month period, the board will review whether to hire him permanently at a set monthly fee.
One problem that was resolved for the board this week was money owed by the City of Williamsburg to help support the airport. The city has committed to providing $8,000, but officials said last week that hasnt’ been paid in three quarters because the airport did not provide proper financial statements to the city. On Monday, the statements were provided and the city paid the airport board $32,000.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a seven-point plan to get a handle on its financial situation which included hiring Strickland, appointing Maureen Baird as Treasurer, opening a new bank account, giving authority to sign checks to certain members and allowing for electronic access to accounts.
• Set its fuel price at $4.95 per gallon, which board member Mike Colegrove said is the lowest around. The move was done, Mays said, to attract plane owners to the airport as a refueling destination.
• Heard reports about the need to repair and maintain the airport’s septic system and leach beds. Also, Housman updated the board on progress towards maintenance issues. Official actions on the reports are expected at the board next regular meeting.
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I know the new manager well and Mr. Housman is the best **** ham in the land! But he is above reproach and that means non stop headaches for him swimming upstream in waves of corruption and complacency.
I know the new manager well and Mr. Housman is the best **** ham in the land! But he is above reproach and that means non stop headaches for him swimming upstream in waves of corruption and complacency.
I know the new manager well and Mr. Housman is the best **** ham in the land! But he is above reproach and that means non stop headaches for him swimming upstream in waves of corruption and complacency.
I know the new manager well and Mr. Housman is the best **** ham in the land! But he is above reproach and that means non stop headaches for him swimming upstream in waves of corruption and complacency.
I am sure Mr. Bob Moses will make this audit public and provide the news service with a copy. I have known Mr. Robert Moses and his son Ronnie for many years and I can say these men would never want a public audit hide from the public. Mr. Moses will demand this audit be made public. Now, with all this said some of the other air board members could stop this and if this happens an open records will be filed. I was not at the meeting but after talking to a few people I was told Robert Moses was the only one standing up for making this audit public and asked for the audit to be printed in the paper for all to see. He said as I understand if the audit is not made public people would think we have something to hide. I want to think Bob for his honesty and looking out for all of us. “No legacy is so rich as honesty”. Thank you Bob for standing up against the other members.
Very well said Sir. It’s getting harder and harder each year to sit back and watch as our lovely “elected” officials scam and cheat and lie. It’s very difficult to understand why the people put up with it year after year. The amount of corruption in the surrounding counties seems to be growing more apparent every year. Voting has become a waste of time and gas…
A great story its sad that its true. The Williamsburg airport was built for $16,000,000.00 (yes 16 million dollars). This airport is owned by the residents of Whitley County. This airport on a typical day has two flights most days none. The W.C. Airport has over 500 acres. This airport was built for new jobs for our county but all its used for is Williamsburg’s privileged fortunate few. After the State and Federal money was spent at 16 million. Mr. Moses and the airport board voted to have a bond issue of approximately $850,000.00 more to built a Colonial- Style terminal for tourists coming by plane to Cumberland Falls. I understand the airport is just about to be foreclosed on by a Tenn. Bank. Why did they need more money? I also understand Mr. Moses wants an in-house look at the books. I for one understand Whitley County needs an Airport more than anything else. Just what the H— happen to all the money? The airport gets 4% fee for every room sold at Cumberland Falls, Williamsburg pays a fee, etc. In 2007-2008 they received over $50,000.00 in revenues. The Audit should be made public its the law. Mr. Moses can not keep the audit under lock and key. You should never hide things unless you have things to hide. Just how many jobs has this airport given to Whitley County in the past 8 years? I understand Williamsburg and for the privileged its must feel like home. I understand who owns the press in Whitley. We the people need something good to happen in Whitley county for all not just a few. Our tax dollar built a play ground good for the rich to fly around. I for one am sick of this. I have lived in Whitley all my 72 years and its the same. I will vote for anyone who runs for office that’s not in office now. I hear these people talk about the spending of Obama, but look “over $16,000,000.00 for an airport in Whitley County” come on. They received $1,000.00’s a year and don’t even know what happen to the money. They don’t even know how much fuel they sold or gave away. This could only happen in Whitley County, Kentucky “Just Like Home”.