Airport officials decry 'brylcreem' solutions

While a movement to close municipal air fields and replace them with regional airports is gaining momentum, that drastic step could be averted with a good marketing plan.

Doug Vap, McCook Airport Advisory Board chairman, told a five-member legislative committee, Friday morning, many people don't realize they have options other than Denver or Omaha when traveling to Nebraska.

Five members of the Nebraska Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, chaired by Sen. Tom Baker of Trenton, met in McCook for a public hearing. Sens. Pam Brown of Omaha, Adrian Smith of Gering, and Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center were present for the meeting. Sen. Philip Erdman of Bayard, who is not a member of the committee, sat in on the hearing and presented evidence.

Vap told the senators the state needs to keep in mind that "airports don't just ship people out of Nebraska, they ship them in," he said.

Bill Stovall, executive director of the Hall County Airport Authority, told committee members the state needs to address several issues facing larger airports, such as an aging infrastructure.

"The Brylcreem agenda won't work anymore," Stovall said. "It's going to take more than a little dab to fix these problems."

Stovall suggested a subcommittee to look at the overall airport industry in Nebraska and come up with positive changes to improve service.

The committee also heard from Jim Burton of JB Well Service in McCook who expressed his disappointment over the state's policy to allow out-of-state companies to house company-owned vehicles in the state without taxing them.

"I want the playing field leveled," he told committee members. "Kansas makes me license my vehicles. They know exactly where I'm at, how long I'm there and what I'm doing."

In Nebraska, Burton said, companies domicile their equipment in Nebraska, but they license it in other states.

If the state is looking at ways to increase revenues, they should start looking at this issue, Burton said.

The transportation committee was also presented a report explaining the state's policy for new drivers and elderly and medically impaired drivers.