by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
Industry backlash to the events of Sept. 11 and an austere funding climate have prompted the Jacksonville Airport Authority to reel back its fiscal year 2002 operating budget.
JAA, which controls Jacksonville International Airport, Craig Airport and other aviation facilities around Jacksonville, receives federal and state funding as well as proceeds from airport usage. As airline usage has ebbed, so have receipts.
“Airport traffic is still down,” said JAA executive director John Clark. “Basically what we did is we cut our operating budget by almost 19 percent.”
JAA slashed $4.6 million from its $27.8 million operating budget, cutting items across the board, including salaries, services, promotions, repairs and maintenance expenditures. Money set aside for business travel and training was halved. Internal training will supplant outside seminars for the time being. Clark assured the operational cuts would have little impact on travelers and would not negatively affect security efforts, although the authority has changed its philosophy to match the times.
“Our focus was on customer service,” he said alluding to times before Sept. 11. “Our first priority is to build a platform based on security and then to get back to customer service. What you may observe — and we certainly hope not — is the level of contracted services.”
Much of the budget’s reduction involves massaging outside contracts to maximize the airport authority’s dollars.
“We have contractors that automatically come in and clean the carpets on a regular basis,” he said. “Instead, we’ll have them come in on an as-needed basis.”
Money set aside for landscaping also shrunk. While JAA will continue to prune, cut and mow the greenery at the entrance to JIA along Airport Road, other areas will receive less meticulous attention.
“We have thousands of acres of landscaping that is not immediately visible to the public,” continued Clark. “Instead of getting mowed once a week, perhaps we’ll take care of them twice a month.”
While no permanent employees were laid off, a freeze was placed on new hires. Funding for temporary employees was also scaled back but could be adjusted as necessary. Some part-timers in the badging department were cut, but Clark would like to bring some back if possible. Other temporary employees are expected to return.
“We have 13 part-time people for curbside management,” said Clark. “The National Guard [security augment] goes away January 7, so we may have to bring them back.”
Low priority capital improvement projects also took a hit as a proposed access road at JIA was placed on the back burner.
JAA will reassess its budget at the end of the first quarter of its fiscal year Jan. 31. Depending on airport traffic, changing airport needs and other concerns, the authority will loosen or tighten its budget as appropriate.