Prospect Heights to vote on airport budget today
The CEO's pay and the funding for a controversial study have been temporarily stricken from the new Chicago Executive Airport budget by the Wheeling village board.
Two Prospect Heights aldermen, however, support leaving the budgeted costs intact when the city council votes today.
At issue are nearly $275,000 in projected expenses that would pay for a second phase of a long-term master plan and for the salary and a possible bonus for CEO Charlie Priester. It's the latest source of debate surrounding the plan, which first touched off neighbors' protests last summer when Priester said a longer runway would accommodate heavier, private planes that can fly nonstop to Asia and the Middle East.
Wheeling Village President Dean Argiris in February ordered Priester to take talk of extending the runway off the table, and now, says the airport shouldn't earmark the study's funding until officials review the results of the first phase. The village board agreed, unanimously approving the budget after tabling the $275,000, which would also cover fees for engineering consultants.
But several Prospect Heights aldermen said it's shortsighted to halt study on a possible extension to the main runway.
“I don't think it should have been pulled from the study because that's what this is — it's a study,” said Ward 3 Alderman Scott Williamson, who hasn't decided whether he's for or against a longer runway. “It' not executing a plan.”
Ward 4 Alderman Patrick Ludvigsen suggested that by hitting pause on the budget line items, the owners are micromanaging the airport board of directors, appointed by Wheeling and Prospect Heights.
Ludvigsen said the towns were meant to give more autonomy to the airport board after years of fighting over decisions like the hiring of the executive director.
“Yet here we go again with municipal leaders, if you will, the mayor and the village president getting involved with details of the airport board,” he said. “It's like déjà vu all over again.”
Prospect Heights Mayor Nick Helmer refused to comment on whether to table the costs in the budget. Helmer, though, said the airport hasn't produced a long-term blueprint in decades.
“It's time there's a study for all of us to use as resource,” Helmer said.
Prospect Heights aldermen were supposed to vote Monday, but delayed doing so when they didn't get a copy of the budget before their meeting.
The city council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. today at city hall, 8 N. Elmhurst Road.
The findings of the first phase of the airport study will be reviewed at a joint meeting of the council and the board in May, after the deadline to adopt the airport's budget. As CEO, Priester's primary job is steering a long-term study, for which he is paid $6,000 a month. He and airport leaders have long said the study isn't centered on the runway or any particular project, but on how to keep the airport relevant.