It's been nearly six months since a lease went into effect, to develop the former Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport terminal and the airport's largest hangar into a home for 737-style jets for private use. So far, little has been done to renovate the property.

And now, Bill Thayer, the businessman who is to develop that project, has been charged with un-related offenses. And the airport board was told Tuesday that Thayer owes $16,000 in back rent on the property.

"He's working on being in violation of his lease," says Airport Manager Terry Moore. "He's been told that, and he needs to pay his back rent, or his lease will be terminated, basically at the end of December. But that really is a separate issue than his current situation."

Still, Thayer's legal problems come at a time when the jet center was counted on to provide a revenue source which the airport could turn to aside from its commercial traffic. That traffic, in terms of revenues, was taking a beating even before this year's fuel-related fare increases.

"Financially, the airport could use any boost it could provide," Moore says. "The whole idea of the rental for that building is that it could develop into something that could generate fuel sales and other interest in the airport, and it just hasn't happened yet."

And with Thayer currently in custody as of late Tuesday, there's a chance it might not happen at all.

There has been, however, some good news for the airport.

Air Evac Lifeteam, a private medical helicopter transport service, began operations at the airport last week.