‘SHELLS WITHIN SHELLS?’ — THE DEEPER YOU DIG, THE MORE QUESTIONS POP UP ABOUT ODD DOINGS AT PITTSFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, THE IDES OF MARCH, 2016) — Yesterday, THE PLANET broke down leases at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport brining in a whopping 15 cents a year. Think about it terms of geological time. At 15 pennies a year, after a billion years, taxpayers have made $15 million — enough to fund teachers raises for almost a year.
Airport funny business continues in such numbers that flight control may have to direct the stories to form a holding pattern circling the runway. Consider, for example, just three interesting nuggets unearthed by sources of THE PLANET concerning Lyon Aviation.
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1. When you enter Pittsfield Airport, there is a fancy (expensive) sign with three names on it. 1. Pittsfield Airport. 2. Lyon Aviation. 3. Epic Jet. Any mention of their deal with the city?
The mailing address for Epic is Box 842, Lenox. Delivery address is 6 Roaring Brook, Lenox.
CEO of Epic Jet is Bill Weibrecht.
2. This from CNBC: “Millions in the Making?”— Epic Jet
“When the economy fell in 2008 and private jet service followed suit, two career pilots spotted an opportunity. Bill Weibrecht and Michael Lyon set up shop in a garage and created a virtual private jet service. They’ve since taken off with a long client list of celebrities and corporate executives, turning Epic Jet into a high flying success.”
3. And this exchange “with [THE PLANET‘s source’s] mole:
SOURCE: “I also see a plane owned/leased by PMA-based Gruffy LLC???”
MOLE: “The owners of Gruffy are Michael Lyon and Christine Carlson.”
Our source: “So far we have Lyon Aviation, Epic Jet, and Gruffy LLC . . . Shells within shells? flightaware.com shows flights coming in and out of Pittsfield. The city’s code is KPSF.
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Of course, these items suggest nothing in and of themselves except to point to the mystery of what should be a straightforward matter of Lyon Aviation’s presence at the Pittsfield Airport.
From it’s website:
For over 35 years, Lyon Aviation has called the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts home for its Fixed-Base Operations. Located less than 20 minutes by air from New York City and Boston, Lyon Aviation is ideal for quick repositioning of aircraft to meet your on-demand charter needs. Lyon Aviation’s private terminal features 24/7 availability and is located close to world-famous, year-round cultural amenities.
Services include jet fueling, maintenance, hangar rental, and more. Again, nothing unusual here, though 35 years is just before Westwood business park was built. There is, however, what seems to be an overall sense of nebulousness. Does Lyon rent from the city? If so, at what terms? Does the city have any fiduciary role? If so, what? Does the mayoral panel intend to examine Lyon’s dealing with the city? What is Epic Jet’s relation to the city?
What is Gruffy LLC? Dunn & Bradstreet lists Gruffy’s address as 832 Tamarack Road, Pittsfield. It was founded in 2010. It lists the number of employees as zero. Under “Industries,” we read the words “Nonclassifiable Establishments.” What does this mean? Under “Contacts” there is a blank.
A website called MassachusettsCorps offering company profiles lists Gruffy in “Active” status and its “Date of Formation” as 11/29/2006. Telephone: n/a. Christine Carlson and Michael Lyon are listed as the “Officers/Directors.” Under “Estimated Revenue,” “Employees,” and “Brands,” we read “no information” for each. Carlson is listed in a press account as “Christine Lyon Carlson, one of the owners of Lyon Aviation.”
What gives with all this?
Kissin’ Cousin’ Leases Certainly No Boom for Taxpayers
The panel has already uncovered startling information. For example, airport manager Robert Snuck said his research into the creation of Westwood turned up no documents, contracts, or paperwork indicating that state and federal officials signed off on lease agreements or revenue splits.
How much money have taxpayers lost over the years because of Kissin’ Cousin leases? Former city councilor Jonathan Lothrop, a member of the mayor’s investigatory panel, seemed to rationalize the lack of clarity on the leases when he said that without the city’s initial investment of $450,000 in Westwood in the mid-80s, “there would be no lease revenue [at all].” Lothrop said the city receives “$129,522 from property taxes at Westwood and $30,568 in personal property taxes on the businesses there.”
Even if those figures are accurate, they do not mitigate against any money lost over the 30 years that called for ridiculous leases of $1 a year for 40 years. How much have taxpayers lost?
Mayoral appointee Tom Sakshaug, who chairs the mayor’s panel, agrees the paper trail on leases is in deplorable shape. At the group’s latest meeting (March 9), Sakshaug indicated the panel’s job isn’t to right the wrongs but to make recommendations to the mayor. Fair enough, but we hope the panel recommends more than just a re-examination by other agencies. That would be passing the buck. Citizens and taxpayers deserve more than that. They deserve a strident, vigilant probe, with the political will to go after any wrongdoing. Let’s say, for example, the panel uncovers a snake pit involving some Big Players? Will it let the public know or will the panel look the other way?
Food for thought as the questions continue their holding pattern and citizens begin to get that now-familiar sinking feeling.
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“While the wintry tempest round / Sweeps the landscape hoary, / Sweeter in her ear shall sound / Love’s delightful story.” —William Cullen Bryant, from “Song.”
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Over two years ago I attended a city council and spoke of the wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars in keeping the Pittsfield Airport open. I suggested then that the city should privatize the airport by selling it to the lowest bidder. Yes, I meant lowest as it is a total waste of taxpayer money. The council responded with laughter when I stated that there is more activity at the Pittsfield Cemetery than the airport.
its a great place to have a picnic as it is so quiet there. Occasionally are heard the rustle of feathers as the local avions, crows and other birds are flying about.
But I am quite confident that the city council will approve keeping the airport open indefinitely. After all they are great at spending taxpayer dollars such as a new unnecessary school and a fleet of new school buses. Curious, does anyone know if the city has finished paying for the older buses?
The previous mayor stated that the airport receives 30 thousand flights a year. I think the more accurate figure would be 30 thousand flights every 25 years, give or take 10 years. Sounds about right.
Total PMA debt right now is $2+ mil., a total of almost $3 mil over the term ending in 2034.
We pay $175, 000+ on that debt a year.
There are about 35,000 to 36,000 “airport operations” a year at PMA. This included takeoffs and landings. I t also includes any flights in the air space. Training flghts can produce multiple operations in a shorttime.
Amelia, am I correct in understanding that an airport operation is the identification or recognition of any plane that flies over Pittsfield or is recognized by the tower at the airport?
No tower at PMA. Snuck said you need a (manned) tower or a (monitored) camera to track every plane that comes in.
One meeting they talked a lot about what an “operation” is, but I’m still not clear on it or how they even arrive at the 35K number.
My source familiar with airport ops says they count “everything that comes into Pittsfield airspace.” Only a tiny fraction of the “traffic” ever lands. So what we have is another phony statistic perped by the city to make it look like everythings coming up roses.
If you want to close each department of the City that doesn’t turn a profit or help everyone, then just turn over the PSD to charter management, drop veteran’s services and the Housing Authority, and cut off the “artistic” PCTV waste.
Quick research does show that 30k might not be unrealistic for each year.
As for shells within shells. Typical construction of businesses, severing liability, just like Europolis Management might be a different entity than Planet Media books.
82 flights a day? 3.5 per hour? If these numbers were accurate, we’d be flush with landing fees.
This observer stated in an earlier edition of PV that smaller planes do not pay a fee (per industry standard).
75% of jets pay.
Lyon’s jets do not pay a fee.
I believe Spencer stated that at many airports in the South no one pays a landing fee.
BW, in fact we do not know2 how many jets pay. We know that folks renting at PMA don’t pay, and that no one is there at off hours to collect fees.
As for the South having airports not collecting fees, that is good. They can land in Georgia and walk here I guess?: If the idea of an airport here as an economic assert is because folks don’t want to land in Westfield, Albany, N Adams or GB, then I guess we can charge a fee without driving away those who need to land here.
If a business were to locate here and the fees were a deal breaker, I would happily concede those fees if the planes owner brought jobs to PITTSFIELD paying a LIVING WAGE. If done in the open, and for reasons benefitting the community, then that is a valid discussion.
84K/yr isn’t too bad for such a public service as PMA.
EXCEPT–it ain’t no public service.
No commercial service. Need to rent or buy a plane to use it, or pay for lessons. A bit of dough involved for even a small plane.
Schools are good. Many can use those, and most have between the ages of 5 and 18.
Streets are good. Sewers are good. Water is good. Garbage pickup is good. Police are good. Firefighters are good. Everyone benefits from those services.
How many benefit from PMA?
Shakey, I believe that you’d like the PCTV money get plowed into the local GOB hackarama.
I believe that community broadcast TV is an outdated media and serves little purpose.
Yeah we don’t need to see what goes on with the council, school board and commissions
Can read all that in the meeting materials and the minutes, or show up at the meeting. cost is not worth the benefit.
Mr Lothrup was the ward councilor for that area for many years. And he puts himself forward as an investigative genius. So I would think he could get some info on this if he wanted to.
Could the whole airport renovation even have taken place without all pertinent information? The contracts had to have been around at that point one would think. The FAA must have some info.
Lyon must have some info. Is he talking to anyone?
What do L T and T F B have in common? They both like having there picture in the paper and on Facebook. Work not so much.
The Boring Broadsheet Book of Bungling “Journalism”:
Chapter 1: Plant head firmly in arse.
Chapter 2: Print newspaper.
Page 5 of the Sports section today has an AP story on Spieth’s first round of the Valspar tournament in the Tampa area.
–from LAST FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes Mr. West, & Thank God for the Planet. Otherwise we wouldn’t hear about this info such as the airport nonsense. Wish that DV was running the BB.
DV the best journalist in the area.
The only “journalist.”
I notice that they have been repeating stories lately. They have to fill those extra pages we were promised.
Gruffy LLC
Title Individual name Address
SOC SIGNATORY MICHAEL LYON TAMARACK RD., PITTSFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
SOC SIGNATORY CHRISTINE CARLSON TAMARACK RD., PITTSFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
The name and business address of the person(s) authorized to execute, acknowledge, deliver, and record any recordable instrument purporting to affect an interest in real property:
Title Individual name Address
REAL PROPERTY CHRISTINE CARLSON TAMARACK RD., PITTSFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
REAL PROPERTY MICHAEL LYON TAMARACK RD., PITTSFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
Lyon Avaiation
he name and address of the Registered Agent:
Name: COOLEY, SHRAIR P.C.
Address: 1380 MAIN ST.
City or town, State, Zip code, Country: SPRINGFIELD, MA 01103 USA
The Officers and Directors of the Corporation:
Title Individual Name Address
PRESIDENT MICHAEL P LYON 174 CHURCHILL STREET PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
TREASURER CHRISTINE J LYON KUPERNIK 77 FREDERICK DRIVE DALTON, MA 01226 USA
SECRETARY CHRISTINE J LYON KUPERNIK 77 FREDERICK DRIVE DALTON, MA 01226 USA
DIRECTOR CHRISTINE J LYON KUPERNIK 77 FREDERICK DRIVE DALTON, MA 01226 USA
DIRECTOR MICHAEL P LYON 174 CHURCHILL STREET PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
DIRECTOR MARC D LYON 841 WEST STREET PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
DIRECTOR SHIRLEY A. LYON 138 VELMA AVENUE PITTSFIELD, MA 01201 USA
Someone learned how to navigate the intarwebs….
I introduced myself to Mr. Gaetani at the Big -Y today and although his delivery is somewhat obtuse and confrontational, there is a foundation of viable substance in his message. He is determined to pursue his replacement of the current city power structure and is working on a expose’ of what he coined the “GOB & SIGS “. It appears he has a plan to organise the traditionally apathetic voter block into action. He dropped the names some knowledgeable confidants and advisors. He seems relentless in his quest.
I give him credit for his water works history, but its getting old. Time to present a future specific plan. Kudos for his determination.
Dan, I firmly believe that the 3 councilors are interested in getting to the bottom of this situation. From what I hear Mazzeo and Connell have been trying to get information for over a year to see if the airport could be a viable operation. Kudos to the councilors that had the courage to request this investigation.
Lothrop is involved don’t count on anything getting done.
The boy can conversate though
Lyon Aviation will run you down to DC…for around $22,000! Much of their business is done with leased jets, which are very beautiful BTW, but which are kept in the air, traveling nationally or internationally much of the time. Last I knew they had between 5 and 8 aircraft for hire, but did not “own” but maybe 3? And at any given time may have 2 hangered in Pittsfield. Maybe even just 1. They stage or reposition their aircraft in Pittsfield sometimes but are just as likely to be found in LA, Paris or Boca. I am still curious about their reported use by the CIA, among several other small operators, for renditioning snatched terrorist prisoners during the Bush administration.