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By Jackie Valley (contact) 
Published Wednesday, March 28, 2012 | 11:48 a.m.
Updated Thursday, March 29, 2012 | 9:33 a.m.
A new plaque hanging on a wall at Boulder City airport thanks B.F.E. LLC for its help last week during the president’s sweep through town.
It’s from the federal government, which converted office space at the fixed-base operator — aviation lingo for companies that provide services at airports — into a miniature communications hub for the commander-in-chief’s visit.
Bob Fahnestock, owner of B.F.E. LLC, admits it’s a nice gesture, but a financial dispute with the White House communications team still irks him. (Fahnestock originally said he dealt with the Secret Service, which the Secret Service disputed on Thursday. Fahnestock then clarified he made out an invoice to the White House communications agency and had wrongly assumed the Secret Service was involved.)
“Whether you’re on the left or on the right, it didn’t make any difference to me,” he said. “We just wanted to help these guys.”
The sentiment apparently got lost in translation. Fahnestock didn’t mean a free ride.
When the government came calling the weekend prior to President Barack Obama’s March 21 visit to a solar field in Boulder City, Fahnestock granted federal officials permission to set up shop in his company’s offices.
B.F.E. LLC includes ramp and hangar space for aircraft, fuel services, flight school and on-site mechanics, among other services, Fahnestock said. He calls his business, which opened in 2007, a $10 million investment.
“We’ve been struggling like everybody else for the past five years,” he said.
That’s why Fahnestock didn’t think twice about charging the government for the accommodations.
After all, radios, wires, antennas and temporary phone lines created a labyrinth in the office space, he said. Plus, a temporary flight restriction during the president’s visit eliminated other potential customers.
“We had no idea what they wanted to do until it was pretty much all in place,” Fahnestock said.
Normally, Fahnestock said he would charge customers $100 a day for similar setups, but given the circumstances, he asked White House officials for $50 a day — enough to cover boosted electricity costs.
“Things kind of turned ugly” at that point, he said.
Government officials begrudgingly paid the $200 for their stay Sunday through Wednesday, but Fahnestock said his company simultaneously received multiple calls from federal officials denouncing the monetary request. The officials, he said, made it clear they would never be seeking his accommodations again.
“We wanted to accommodate and make sure things (went) smoothly,” Fahnestock said. “It’s just that generally you are compensated for it.”
The same principle applied to rapper and entertainer P. Diddy, who filmed a commercial at Fahnestock’s fixed-base operator late last year.
“What we charged him was substantially more than what we charged these days,” he said, referring to the president’s visit.
If there was a silver lining to the situation, Fahnestock said it was the interaction with military members in Boulder City that day.
“They’re really great to be around,” he said. “They have done great things for our country.”
Unless you articulated from the outset that you were going to charge them...this sounds bogus. The secret service wants to set up shop, use your space, electric supply, etc. and you never discussed monetary payment?
It sounds like you gave them permission and then once discovered it was going to be a bigger deal, you went looking for money.
I call foul on the business owner.
The payment should have been negotiated prior to the visit; i.e. at the $$$ involved, the gov't would have quickly authorized the expenditure with only the lowest level of approval required.
The should pay, the 20 min photo op in boulder city cost the tax payers millions of days for all the equiptment and staff and hindering other business
From the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution: "...nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." ( taken from here: http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html... )
That seems pretty clear to me. The government can not just walk in and take over space without paying for it.
"That seems pretty clear to me. The government can not just walk in and take over space without paying for it"
First off, they called him and he granted permission (his own words) to use his facilities for the visit. There was no "take over". If this guy wanted money he should have articulated that PRIOR to giving them access. That's like me inviting you in for a beer or two and then after drinking 3 I want you to reimburse me. Gimme a break.
This sounds like sour grapes after the fact.
Knowing what the people know now about Obama and the despicable job he's doing; anyone with common businesses sense wouldn't knowingly or willingly want this guy to use their facility without first coming to a large enough financial agreement to pay for the use of their services and future loss of business revenue. This isn't something I'd want on my resume of clientele, Obama or any other elected liberal official, past or present...
Knowing a government agency is b*tching about spending $200 is a good thing. I wish they were all that tight with money.
This tells you what the government under Obama thinks of small business. If you think that Obama and his buddies care about the business community you are badly mistaken. All they care about is getting reelected in November. The inconvience to the business community and tourists for Obama's seven or eight visits has been horrible. The cost of overtime paid to our police force is being borne by the residents of Nevada. Think twice about keeping this guy in office.
I live in a small town in Washington(50,000) along I 5 and Bill Clinton came through and and met breifly with the town Mayor and city council as he was traviling from Seattle to Portland. I think he was campaining for president at the time. The Secrete Service ordered something like a $100.00 worth of hamburgers from one of the little burgershops in town and never paid their bill.At least this guy got paid, I heard the burger bar never did.
wow it only took a few comments to somehow blame this guys lack of a negogiated contract on the President.
ahhh, partisanship.
Ms. Valley, this article raises questions that a little investigation would have answered. Was there a contract in place? What is the normal arraignment for these "bases of operation?" Seriously, if the guy gave up some office space for a day I don't see the big deal. If it was a big deal to him, why didn't he have anything in writing?
Next, to answer some other commenters, Presidents always travel and it's always a big headache. However, it's one of the "sacrifices" you make for living in the United States. Not liking a man's politics is a rather silly reason to begrudge a President the right to visit places! Bush I and II both traveled, so did Clinton, Nixon, Reagan, etc.
Second, the takings clause is not implicated if the "taking" is more like a voluntary "giving." You can donate all the money and properly you want to the U.S. Government, assuming they would want it. He got the money he wanted, regardless.
By LaDiDa
March 28, 2012
2:51 p.m.
Flag
wow it only took a few comments to somehow blame this guys lack of a negogiated contract on the President.
ahhh, partisanship.
You were waiting for that too. If this guy wanted $200, then tell them right off the bat. No common sense individual negotiates a fee AFTER services have been rendered or provided.
Liberal progressives opinions, because is is us, we will take it for free, you owe us
VP Joe Biden makes the SS pay him rent, while they provide him security and use a guest house on the biden compound...Like 5-6 grand of taxpayer vig...to protect the guy...
Can't make it up!
And he probably wanted to be comped on the pizzas they had last time in town...if you use the services, you pay the fee. He got about as much as an individual can get out of his office, plus Secret Service for life. Sounds like a great gig......I want to be president.....I think....
They paid for the pizzas. Why even go there?
The "fee" has to be made known. You don't come up with a price after the fact. If this guy had the intention of getting paid instead of providing a courtesy for the President...then he should have spoke up prior and had some type of written agreement for payment. Not sure why this is difficult to understand.
I can see how this went:
'Sir, the guy at the Boulder airport wants $200 for the use of his office, electricity, and the inconvenience.' '$200????' 'Is this guy a Republican?' 'No Sir......he gave us the cut rate.' 'Well...........take it out of petty (really petty) cash, and tell him "WE WON'T BE COMING BACK".' 'That should fix him.'
"no one blamed harry reid?!?!?!?!? you people are slowing down."
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I'm guessing it's because there are people who want to actually blame the people who are at fault, rather than the usual partisan hacks who like to blame former President Bush for everything that has gone wrong during the current administration.