Published: November 02, 2009 11:51 pm      

NIAGARA COUNTY: County, Falls, look to support air base advocacy group

Niagara County and the City of Niagara Falls are considering plans to provide financial support to a struggling local advocacy group.

A pair of Niagara County lawmakers have co-sponsored a resolution calling on the county to provide a total of $40,000 in funding from its 2009 budget to support the Niagara Military Affairs Council.

The proposal, presented by Legislature Chairman Bill Ross, C-Wheatfield, and Legislator Dan Sklarski, D-Town of Niagara, would provide NIMAC with a boost in 2010 by transferring dollars from revenue lines in the 2009 county budget, including $10,000 in sales tax, $15,000 in the county’s share of casino cash and $15,000 from the beautification fund supported through an annual donation from the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission.

Ross believes the money would be well spent as NIMAC has consistently fought to maintain operations at the air base which employs thousands of Western New Yorkers.

“This is our economic development,” Ross said. “The air base is our No. 1 employer.”

Ross said the request for funds to support NIMAC will likely be referred on Wednesday to the county’s economic development committee.

The all-volunteer NIMAC led the community rally to stave off closure of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in 1995 and again in 2005. The group endured significant cuts in state funding this year, jeopardizing its ability to continue its advocacy efforts on behalf of the air base. The group’s biggest concern was the loss of a key ally in Washington, D.C. — the lobbying firm Hyjek & Fix which has for years helped in securing federal dollars for infrastructure improvements at the base.

Earlier this year, Lane and other NIMAC officials expressed concern they would run out of funding by the end of September. NIMAC’s primary expense is its $126,000 annual contract with Hyjek & Fix, an investment NIMAC officials consider money well spent as it has helped the community secure more than $150 million in improvement projects at the air base to date.

NIMAC Chairman Merrell Lane said the group’s $126,000 contract with Hyjek & Fix expired on Saturday. He said it is hoped through assistance from the county and other municipalities that NIMAC will be able to re-hire the lobbying firm and continue its community outreach efforts in 2010. Lane said other smaller municipalities in the county have stepped forward with pledges of financial support for his organization, but there’s still more fundraising work to do.

“I’m really optimistic,” Lane said. “I think the local governmental agencies are really trying to put some funding together.”

NIMAC did receive casino cash from the county in 2009 but the arrangement was jeopardized when state officials moved to transfer the county’s share to the City of Niagara Falls for road repairs.

Mayor Paul Dyster recently said he intended to approach the City Council about restoring funds for NIMAC with part of the revenue that was delivered to Niagara Falls as a result of the transfer of the county’s share.

“We’re still standing behind that expenditure,” Dyster said. “I think there’s unanimous agreement that NIMAC is absolutely vital, not only to the city, but to the entire county.”

Contact reporter Mark Scheer at 282-2311, ext. 2250.