Thomson takes Caslin to task over comment
No offense intended. That’s what Niagara Regional Chairman Alan Caslin told Niagara Falls Coun. Wayne Thomson this week when he updated local politicians about regional council activities. Thomson brought up comments Caslin made in a Niagara Falls Review article last month where he said the city was “posturing” when it passed a motion stating the municipality may consider getting out of the airport business as it appears Niagara Region will not assume control of Niagara District Airport.
“I read your comments in the paper — I found that very offensive,” said Thomson.
“Well, you and I are on the same page,” responded Caslin. “No we’re not,” said Thomson. “You said posturing. We’re not posturing. We’re working to do something meaningful for economic development in this region and posturing, I took the time to look it up: Misleading and false. What’s misleading and false about attempting to try to do something for economic development with an airport?”
“Absolutely nothing,” responded Caslin.
“If I offended you in any way, it wasn’t meant to be. Ideally, you and I are on the same page trying to get the airport regionalized.”
During its March 28 meeting, city council passed a resolution brought forward by Thomson giving the Region notice that prior to the municipality’s 2018 budget, it was going to make a decision with respect to pulling out of the airport.
Regional councillors recently voted against paying for an environmental assessment of the land at Niagara District Airport in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Central Dorothy Riungeling Airport in Pelham.
That effectively blocked Niagara Region from assuming control. The assessment was a condition of the Region taking over.
In early September, the Region’s public works committee agreed in principle that the upper-tier municipality take over operations. The plan passed at full council on Sept. 22 but was amended to insist the lower-tier municipalities pay for the assessment.
The issue of that assessment returned to regional council recently. A vote on waiving it ended in a 14-14 tie.
Because it was a reconsideration of something previously passed, it needed support of two-thirds of council.
In north Niagara, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Niagara-onthe-Lake fund Niagara District Airport.
In south Niagara, Welland, Pelham, Port Colborne and Wainfleet pay for the cost of operating the Dorothy Rungeling Airport.
“You’re relatively new to politics in this area,” Thomson said to Caslin.
“We’ve been talking about this for probably 18 years to try to get this as a regional airport simply because … (it’s ) extremely important that every destination has a first-class airport, and it can’t be done by three municipalities. If you want to have the contact with the federal government and get their input into it, you have to have it done properly.”
Caslin said he, along with Niagara Falls and St. Catharines, support a regionalized airport.
“We need one commercial airport for economic development and that’s what we’re trying to do. To do that, we need 12 municipalities on the same page, not three.”