COUPEVILLE: Airport hearing sparks lively debate (WNT)

Karina Andrew reports for the Whidbey News-Times from the Port of Coupeville public hearing on Wed. May 17, 2023.

A public hearing that the Port of Coupeville hosted this week regarding its impending purchase of the A.J. Eisenberg Airport drew a large and fervent crowd of community members, each with his or her own take on why the agency should or should not go through with its plan.

Dozens of Whidbey Island residents attended the meeting May 17, either in person at Greenbank Farm or online via Zoom. A fairly even split of advocates and opponents of the port’s purchase were among the meeting’s many attendees and public commenters.

They Said It

The public hearing was a step in the port’s “due diligence” process, according to port Commissioner David Day. As Day explained to those in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, the port is currently nearing the end of a 60-day period to “look at the viability of the airport” before executing a purchase and sale agreement.

“This is part of that look,” he said. “Nothing is in writing or in stone at this point.”

[Several c]ritics of the port’s plan expressed support for Robert DeLaurentis, the North Whidbey resident who is also seeking to purchase the airport. Coupeville Town Councilmember Pat Powell said she believes DeLaurentis is “the real thing.”

“Having him do this will be a public benefit and an economic success,” she said.

Commissioner Day asked DeLaurentis whether he would state unequivocally that the pilots currently operating out of the A.J. Eisenberg Airport and other members of the general public would be able to continue to use the airport as they do now. DeLaurentis responded that it is his intention to keep the A.J. Eisenberg a public use airport, though any ongoing use of the facility without payment would stop immediately under his ownership.

Oak Harbor Councilmember Bryan Stucky shared his concerns over what he deemed inconsistent messaging from the port regarding its finances and plan to pay for the property, pointing out that Michalopoulos told the council that the port would be putting its own money on the line for the airport during a city council meeting but later told port commissioners that the port did not have sufficient funds in the bank to purchase the airport.

“My question is, is that money sitting in a bank account, or are we having to rely on grants?” Stucky asked. “Because I want this partnership to start off strong with honesty on both sides, and this is a little bit in conflict.”

Port Commissioner John Mishasek told Stucky that the county commissioners have discussed providing the funds for the purchase via Rural County Economic Development funds, which the port is currently in the process of applying for.

“To answer your question, the money’s there,” he said. “Can I tell you exactly whose checking account it’s going to come out of? No.”

Port Commissioner John Callahan added that the port is actively working to acquire the funds to complete the purchase in two weeks.

“The question was do we have $1.1 million in the bank, and I think the direct answer to that is no. That doesn’t mean we won’t have $1.1 million the day before we’re supposed to execute the purchase and sale agreement,” Callahan said.

“I’m very open-minded at this point to everything I’ve heard,” Mishasek said. “I think extremely good points were made.”

On the Ballot in November 2023