Page 4 • Wednesday , January 5 , 2022 • The Hammonton Gazette
Progress continues at Hammonton Municipal Airport
AIRPORT , from Page 1 Consultants — both of these grants — and the rehab one is $ 356,913 ... The FAA is very helpful with getting grants , as far as taxiways , runways and keeping the airport in good condition for planes to come in and visit town ,” Zuber said .
Zuber said that , according to Bob Pinto — the principal for Star Aero Avionics , LLC , the airport ’ s fixed-base operator — there are approximately 100 planes per day flying in and out of the airport .
Mayor Stephen DiDonato noted that rentals at the airport are at current capacity .
“ Everything is full there ,” he said .
Zuber said that current tenants include Equipment Exchange , Catalyst Aviation , LLC , the New Jersey State Police and Star Aero Avionics , LLC . Zuber said that , among other duties , the fixed-base operator controls the airport ’ s restaurant — Apron Café , managed by Sal and Nancy Silipino .
“ They seem to be really making a name for themselves ; that ’ s what I hear all around town ,” DiDonato said .
Town solicitor Michael Malinsky said that the lease with Star Aero Avionics LLC commenced in 2014 .
“ It was locked in for 10 years ; that ’ ll expire April 30 , 2024 ... That ’ s generating $ 30,000 per
hammontongazette . com year ,” Malinsky said .
DiDonato said that Catalyst Aviation , LLC performs helicopter inspections for Atlantic City Electric . Zuber explained further .
“ They do work for the electric company , to take photos of any issues with electrical wiring with their helicopter ; they work directly with Atlantic City Electric ,” Zuber said .
Malinsky said that the current lease with Catalyst Aviation , LLC commenced in 2017 .
“ It was a five-year term , with a five-year option to extend , so this is a total of 10 years . That currently , this past year , up until January 31 , 2022 , generates $ 3,213.06 a month . It changes each year . On February 1 , that goes up to $ 39,906.52 per year ... In the next five years , that ’ ll realize an income for us of $ 213,996.04 . That ’ s from February 1 , 2022 to January 31 , 2027 ,” Malinsky said .
Malinsky also discussed the lease with the New Jersey State Police , noting that , when he became town solicitor in 2016 , the state police had an interim lease in place .
“ We negotiated that for a longterm deal ... we locked them into an initial term of 10 years , with two five-year options . We turned a short-term lease into a 20-year lease for the town ... it was in February of this year ,” Malinsky said .
Malinsky said that the initial terms of the current lease are for $ 10,600 per month , or $ 127,200 per year .
“ Then , there ’ s increases built in each year . The lease that we negotiated in 2021 , in the first 10 years , based on the increases that they ’ re responsible for yearly , the total rental income the town will realize over those 10 years is $ 1,330,774.46 , from February 2021 to February 2031 . If you factor in the option periods , the town will realize , over the total 20-year term , $ 2,410,455.29 ,” Malinsky said .
Zuber said that a plan was approved several years ago to build six new hangars at the airport .
“ If you go out there now , there ’ s one out there ; then there ’ s five other locations that we ’ re in the process of securing leases and building additional hangars for airplanes to be set ,” Zuber said . DiDonato explained further . “ We ’ re doing land leases where they build their own buildings ... it ’ s town property , and they can house their planes . They ’ re building hangars . They do a land lease ; they rent the square-footage underneath the hangar ,” DiDonato said .
Zuber said that the leases are for a term of 25 years with an automatic extension for an additional 10 years . At the end of the lease , the land — and the hangar — reverts back to the town .
Zuber said that two leases have already been signed as of January 30 , 2020 , one with Frederick Tecce and one with David Crescenzo — who has already constructed a hangar .
“ We have leases out on the other four hangars , which we hope to have executed and constructed in the next several years ,” Malinsky said .
More plans are in the works , Zuber said .
“ Hopefully within four to five years , there ’ s the bean field out there ; we ’ re working with the FAA to put more hangars out there . That ’ s down the road a little bit , but that ’ s something we ’ re also working on to build the airport up ,” Zuber said .
DiDonato said that Hammonton Municipal Airport is an asset to the town .
“ The airport is definitely paying its own bills , and paying for all its upkeep , finally ,” DiDonato said . Zuber concurred . “ In 2020 , we brought in $ 187,496.42 . Our operating expense , I think in the budget last year , was $ 12,500 . It ’ s definitely making money ,” Zuber said .
Zuber said that the airport is “ definitely something that helps the town .”
“ It brings in a lot of money , and
I think it brings people into town , too . I get a lot of phone calls all the time for people who want to come to the airport . A lot of people want to come to the Hammonton Airport because it ’ s local and it ’ s near Atlantic City . It sits in between everything . It ’ s definitely advantageous for the town to have , and it ’ s on the rise ,” Zuber said . DiDonato agreed . “ We ’ re very fortunate to have it there ,” he said .
Arrest on 13th Street
HAMMONTON — Police arrested a man near the intersection of 13th Street and N . Egg Harbor Road at 11:53 p . m . on December 29 after a motorist flagged down Officer Dalton Verderame while he was on patrol in the area , Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said .
“ Officer Verderame was attempting to investigate one subject who had walked in front of another subject ’ s vehicle ,” Friel said .
The subject was identified as Jonathan Parker , 27 , of Atlantic City , Friel said . Parker refused to get out of the road and was not cooperating with the investigation , Friel said .
Parker was placed under arrest and charged with disorderly conduct , obstruction and resisting arrest , Friel said , adding that he was processed and released pending a court appearance . Verderame was the arresting and charging officer , Friel said .
Friel : Local man charged with defiant trespass
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON — A man was charged with defiant trespass after police received a call of an unwanted person outside a retail establishment on the 100 block of 12th Street at 10:15 p . m . on December 31 , Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said . by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
Officer Travis Hoffman responded and came in contact with Alex Torres , Friel said .
Torres , 23 , of Hammonton , was found to be on property which he had previously been advised he was not permitted , Friel said .
He was arrested , charged with defiant trespass and released pending an appearance in Hammonton Joint Municipal Court , Friel said . Hoffman was the arresting and charging officer , Friel said .