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Health & Fitness

Inside Barnstable Town Government: Airport Services

Marstons Mills resident Sara Cushing is blogging her way through Barnstable's leadership academy. This week, see the airport through her eyes.

Before Tuesday, I’d never been to the Barnstable Municipal Airport – before or after its renovation. My father is a retired Navy pilot and my brother is a current Navy pilot – so being around airports is nothing new but I was very, very excited to learn about BMA and see it in person!

Bud Breault, Airport Manager, who led our session last Tuesday, has a background both in the Navy and Coast Guard and has worked in various military and civilian positions over the last several decades including a post at Nobska Light in Woods Hole (how cool is that?)! Mr. Breault started the session with an overview of the Airport’s mission statement which includes key components of ‘foster local economic growth…[and] ensure that the airport remains an integral part of the regional transportation plan in an effort to meet the growing demand for present and future air travel’. And it’s a beauty.

The Barnstable Airport Commission provides oversight of the organization which includes management, operations, maintenance, security, finance, and administration. But first to provide some history: the first airplane landed at the Barnstable Airport in 1928 and by the following year, there were daily flights to Boston and Nantucket. In 1943 the US Navy took over the airport, paving and extending the runways for flight combat training (Did you know that President George H.W. Bush received his Naval flight training at the airport?). In 1946, the Navy returned the airport to the Town of Barnstable and commercial flights to Boston, New York, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard resumed. In 1981, the airfield was dedicated to Russell N. Boardman and John L. Polando and named ‘Boardman/Polando Field’ in honor of the men who flew their monoplane from the United States to Turkey, setting a world record in distance travel. Their airplane was named the Cape Cod.

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Mr. Breault also provided an overview of the airport’s work in safety, noise management (yes, people call to complain about airplane noise!), flight tracking, and security. The airport is financed via an Enterprise Fund which means that its staff and services are funded entirely by the revenue generated at the airport – no Town tax dollars support the airport. In fact, the airport pays the Town $500,000 in Administrative Service Charges each year.

As you might imagine, Barnstable Municipal Airport isn’t just a place that facilitates air travel. It’s a gateway into the local economy, as well. So bringing in new airline business (such as from JetBlue, as indicated by Mr. Breault) means more people coming into the Town of Barnstable and spending their money here – which means helping the local economy even more!  Additionally, a local artist and locally owned café call the airport their home. It’s great to see local businesses supported directly by our airport. I think it offers a sense of community not found elsewhere that really makes those flying in and out feel like they’re home.

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Next week we’ll be at 200 Main Street to learn about Regulatory Services!

Read the rest of Sara's series on "Inside Barnstable Town Government" here.

Sara Cushing is a freelance writer. She can be reached at saracushing@hotmail.com

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