Airport owner's fate weighed in property deal

Wantage — Not so fast. That’s the word from a group of Wantage Township residents who have formed an advisory committee to help the town explore the potential merits of purchasing Sussex Airport. Some of its members have let it be known they want to wait until the upcoming sentencing of airport owner Paul Styger before they issue their recommendation about whether to buy the property. In May, Styger pled guilty in federal court to embezzling more than $375,000 from the Federal Aviation Administration, pocketing money that was intended to upgrade the airport’s runway and other facilities. Styger, who has owned the airport since 1953, is scheduled to be sentenced in December, according to Wantage Township Administrator Jim Doherty. He said he asked the citizen’s group to prepare a recommendation for the Wantage Township Committee in time for its Nov. 12 meeting.