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WINTERSVILLE -- The Jefferson County Regional Airport Authority Board of Trustees are discussing a simple property swap, part of the airport's steps required for installing a perimeter fence.
Board president Brandon Reese said after Tuesday's meeting that the airport's next major project, part of its capital improvement program through the Federal Aviation Administration, is a perimeter fence to prevent wildlife from endangering planes. However, Reese said, a small part of the fence's perimeter line recommended by the FAA runs through a neighbor's adjacent property near the airport runway's southeastern end.
In response, the board discussed the possibility of swapping a portion of the airport's property with a portion of the neighbor's. In the event of the swap, as discussed by the board, both parties would receive about an equal amount of property, both less than half an acre and portioned in a triangular shape.
Reese said the swap would be preferable so as to maintain the fence perimeter recommended by the FAA.
Details provided in July by airport manager Brian Thaxton put the proposed fence at 10 feet tall and 13,000 feet long -- the airport's largest project since its taxiway renovation to accommodate larger planes. Currently, the airport is in its design phase for the fence, aided by consulting firm Michael Baker International.
Reese noted that the fence would primarily be funded through the FAA, which would contribute 90 percent for the project, with a 5 percent match ideally coming from an Ohio Department of Transportation grant.
Separately, the board discussed the possible cleaning and repairing of an 800-gallon fuel tank noted to have been out of service for about four years due to a deficiency. Reese said a hypothetical repair job that seemed infeasible at first has seemingly become more attainable.
Reese said a full replacement for the deficient tank would cost around $160,000, which prompted the board to seek a way to repair the original tank. Before repairs can be done, however, the unusable fuel inside needs to be properly removed.
An inquiry with Refuel Environmental Services revealed the company would charge about $1,400 to remove the waste fuel and clean and vent the tank, Reese said. That process would allow another contractor to safely work inside the tank and weld it. All in all, the potential price for the cleaning and repair would fall between $25,000 and $30,000, Reese estimated, adding up to big savings for the county.
Referencing the proposed amount of savings, Thaxton said, "If this all goes the way it's lining up, it'll be a very good, positive deal."
Also of note, Thaxton reported to the board that jet aircraft customers at the airport have been requesting that the airport have a ground power unit on hand. A GPU, Reese said, is a generator used to help high-performance jets, while on the ground, start and maintain their aviation electronics, as well as their heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
The airport's runway system has enabled the airport to host larger planes with more complex systems, and the GPU has been a frequent request for those aircraft. Reese said the board's general consensus on obtaining a GPU is positive, but further discussions and investigations need to take place to determine what size the airport would want for its unit.
Board member Dustin VanFossen said prices are size-dependent and would range between $4,000 and $12,000.