Finance Committee recommends city take F-14 Tomcat match from excess building permit fees

WILLMAR -- A funding source has been suggested for the city's matching contribution toward the F-14 Tomcat project. The Willmar City Council's Finance Committee is recommending the city's match of up to $25,000 be taken from excess 2006 building permit fees.

The council on Dec. 4 voted to contribute the match to a local fundraising effort to save the retired twin-engine jet fighter parked at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport for Willmar's new municipal airport.

The council had not designated the source of the match. But at Monday night's Finance meeting, City Administrator Michael Schmit suggested the committee take the match from excess 2006 building permit fees.

So far this year, building permit fees have generated $185,000 more than what was budgeted in 2006. Schmit said final excess amount won't be known until the end of the year. Any excess revenue generated in 2006 will be referred to the 2008 budgeting process, said Schmit and Finance Director Steve Okins.

"I think the intent of the council was that if the fundraising met its goal, the council would match up to $25,000 without specifying where the money comes from. They clearly have met that goal,'' said Schmit.

Pat Curry, a former Airport Commission member who's heading the fundraising effort, has collected about $31,700, said Schmit.

Schmit said he's requested a revised cost estimate from the East Coast company responsible for demilitarizing and transporting the jet to Willmar. The cost may be less than the original $52,000 estimate, "so what we need to match may not be the full $25,000,'' he said.

Schmit said he was assured by Curry that fundraising is not finished.

Schmit said the Dec. 22 deadline for removing the jet has been extended. Now, it's apparently OK if the jet is just moved to another area of the Minneapolis airport. The extension provides more time for demiling and transportation, he said.

Committee Chairman Denis Anderson said he thought the council's resolution for matching funds included displaying the jet on a pedestal at the new airport, "so I think it's appropriate.''

Committee member Steve Gardner said the motion recommended by the Finance Committee on Nov. 27 to provide the match did not include displaying the jet.

Committee member Jim Dokken made the motion, seconded by Rick Fagerlie, to provide the match for demiling, transporting and displaying. The vote was 3-1 with Anderson, Dokken and Fagerlie in favor and Gardner against.

Gardner said he'd like to see the fundraising group provide the money to display the jet.

The message of the committee's action, said Schmit, is that the $25,000 plus whatever else is needed to get the jet to Willmar and on the pedestal "is the responsibility of the group.''

In other business, the committee was told by Okins that the city has received $1,085,382 as of the end of November from the local option sales tax. Okins said the city is projecting to receive $1.5 million in 2006 from the tax.

The half-cent tax, which was approved by voters in November 2004 and authorized by the Legislature in 2005, is expected to raise $8 million over seven years. The revenue will be used to pay for local projects.

In other business, the committee voted to recommend the council direct city staff members to begin the process to sell bonds in the amount of $3,226,000 to finance street construction in the Water View Business Park in 2007.

According to the budget, $2,525,000 will be paid by property owners.