For 12-27-92 
Boycott Baseball? Ok, Fine -- But You Go First 
It Doesn't Seem So Long Ago That Kirby Puckett Created A Fuss By Becoming The 
First Baseball Player To Collect A $3 Million Salary.

What About 
Those Raises?

Monday, December 21, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





Dec. 20, 1992 Hazleton airport FOR PAGE 1B LABEL ON BOTTOM &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Parties agree to support improvements &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The four principles agree to agree on upgrading the facility, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 but the votes they're doubts on a proposed business park &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By JIM KERSTETTER &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Times Leader Hazleton Bureau &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 HAZLETON -- The mayor, Hazleton Municipal Airport Commission, Greater
Hazleton Chamber of Commerce and CAN DO agree on plans to upgrade facilities
at the municipal airport. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the jury's still out on Mayor John Quigley's proposed business park. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The four parties met to discuss plans for the airport about two weeks ago.
It was the first time the major business and economic leaders sat down to hash
out the city's 20-year, $32 million Airport Master Plan, Quigley said Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Basically, I outlined the Airport Master Plan. We talked about the
potential for the business park and for the large part, what we think it could
mean for the community," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There are a few things they agreed should be upgraded immediately and
officials are now pricing their cost: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The airport does not have an instrument landing system (ILS), which helps
planes land when visibility is poor and the cloud level is low. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Right now, there are four or five days per month that planes can't land in
Hazleton because of the weather. The landing system would cut that in half,"
Quigley said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On several occasions, CAN DO has had to juggle schedules with prospective
business developers because their planes couldn't land at the airport. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They agreed to look for funds to approve the appearance of the airport
terminal. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is the first place business people see when they come into Hazleton
and right now it needs some work," Quigley said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They also agreed to continue talking about plans for airport improvement
and expansion. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The chamber has had a long-standing position of support for development of
the airport, primarily for aviation purposes," chamber executive vice
president James Boyle said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 CAN DO president Gene Dougherty agreed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It has been talked about for many years and I truly believe that the ILS
system should be installed to attract and make it easier for corporations to
come into our area," Dougherty said. "The entrance is also going to have to be
spruced up." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the business leaders hedged their public statements on the proposed
150-acre airport business park. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The business park is a new aspect, and one that has not been specifically
addressed by the chamber,"Boyle said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said the chamber has not considered its stance on the proposed business
park and has not taken a formal stance on the proposed development. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But preliminary discussions indicate it has its benefits. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The general consensus is that the idea has some merit and certainly it
falls in line with potential use of the airport for economic development,"
Boyle said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dougherty said CAN DO supports such strong local development efforts, but
would like to see if the city can resolve its dispute with Hazle Township both
on airport expansion and the proposed business park. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The city owns the 450-acre airport land, but it's located in Hazle
Township. Township officials oppose some of the airport expansion plans and
the proposed business park. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "If the city wished to contract or attract business and industry, certainly
we're not against that," Dougherty said. "But we do have other concerns such
as the situation with the township." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 CAN DO does not consider the proposed business park to be competition for
the proposed CAN DO Corporate Center in Butler Township, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're not in competition with anybody," Dougherty said. "CAN DO's mission
is to attract business and industry into the greater Hazleton area and to
create jobs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "If that is to assist various municipalities and developers, of course" CAN
DO will assist, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Quigley agreed the proposed business park will not compete with the
corporate center. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The concept that I presented is that I think the airport is not an
alternative to what CAN DO has planned elsewhere but a complement," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "There are certain firms logically that would find an airport location more
attractive as well as there are firms that would find a sight contiguous to an
interstate attractive. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We can't just sell one product to corporate America," Quigley said. "I
don't see them competing with each other at all and I think anyone who does is
being very shortsighted. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Quigley said construction on the proposed airport business park, provided
it gets through a very hostile Hazle Township zoning process, is at least
several year down the road. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "A project like this doesn't happen overnight," he said. "But I think it's
crucial if this area is really going to move forward." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 IRPORT

Dec. 20, 1992 Hazleton Airport For Page 1b Label On Bottom 
Parties Agree 
To Support 
Improvements 
The Four Principles Agree To 
Agree On Upgrading The Facility, 
But The Votes They're Doubts On A

Dec. 20, 1992 Hazleton Airport For Page 1b Label On Bottom Parties Agree To Support Improvements The Four Principles Agree To Agree On Upgrading The Facility, But The Votes They're Doubts On A