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WINTERSVILLE -- A deal to install an oil and gas pipeline through the Geary A. Bates Jefferson County Airpark's property has been halted after the company wishing to install the pipeline made changes to its plan.
Jefferson County Commissioner Tony Morelli attended Monday's meeting of the board of directors of the Jefferson County Regional Airport Authority. Morelli informed board members that he was made aware on Thursday of the changes that have practically restarted the processing of the deal.
The airport authority and the commissioners' previous discussions with Jefferson Gas Gathering Co. LLC, the company orchestrating the pipeline deal, noted that an access road is desired for the pipeline, though the road would enter property the airport leases to the Jefferson Kiwanis Youth Soccer Club.
Morelli said there has been a change from the original amount in distance required for the access road. "There's now only 75 feet of access road," he said.
Board President Brandon Reese said the full details of the plan changes are still unknown on the airport authority's end, but unless the changes are large enough, the authority will likely proceed the way it did with previously established plans for the deal.
Owned by the commissioners, the airport property is entrusted to the airport authority as the exclusive agent for the county's airport business. The airport authority is charged with reviewing certain rules for land transactions enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration, which Reese said gave the commissioners funds to buy the property.
In September, the airport authority had sent a letter to the commissioners recommending they enter into the pipeline deal after legal review.
Reese said the airport authority aspires to keep its own deal with Jefferson Gas and any deal between the latter and the soccer club "clean and separate," meaning the airport/county's funds from the deal would not be misappropriated for the club. Rather, the understanding in September's letter was that Kiwanis would negotiate its own separate deal with Jefferson Gas, providing it with direct funds from the company, weighed with possible interference in its own operations due to the access road's addition.
Morelli said he has been a part of discussions about fixing the soccer club's parking lot on the property, though funds from the pipeline deal cannot be used toward the parking lot because of regulations on the use of funds by the FAA.
Instead, Morelli suggested, the airport's pipeline deal payout amount could be adjusted informally but in correlation with the soccer club's plans for the access road. In essence, Jefferson Gas would pay less to the airport through its pipeline deal and and pay more to the soccer club through its own separate deal, allowing the soccer club to pay for the parking lot fix itself.
"If nothing happens with the soccer field, I understand, (but) if we get something to work, that'd be great," Morelli said. "If (Kiwanis) gets something, that's great."
Separately, the board approved two purchases to be made for the airport by manager Brian Thaxton, including a lead-acid, electric ground power unit, which helps jets maintain their aviation electronics, for $18,465. Thaxton said the electric unit, as opposed to a more expensive diesel-powered unit, has the advantage of less maintenance and replaceable cells that last as long as six years.
Debate ensued over the advantages and disadvantages of diesel and electric units, though Thaxton said certain companies had discontinued producing diesel-powered units. Also, electric units are better for auditory volume levels and do not produce exhaust, he said.
Reese noted agreement by the board that there is a need for a GPU, with Thaxton commenting that a reliable GPU is necessary so that pilots will want to return to the airport to have their planes charged. Discussion followed over whether the unit will be used for a fee and where it will be stored.
The second expense was for an aircraft flat tire dolly for $5,845 plus shipping costs. The dolly, Thaxton said, wraps around an aircraft's front tire and uses a built-in jack to lift it up so it can be towed out of the way.
Dollies are a good solution, Thaxton said, in order to avoid needing specialized tools. For example, he said, certain planes require a jack pad or a jack of a certain height, which dollies supersede.
Responding to discussion about whether the airport should charge for a towing operation, Reese said the the airport should, as the service remedies a public safety issue. Reese added later that Thaxton should ensure all staff are properly trained to use the dolly.
In other business:
• Thaxton said in his airport manager's report that operations for the airport were down in October, due in part to a stall from flight instruction organization Pier Aviation. Overall, Thaxton said, the airport has seen a "very good month" for operations, including jets that are not based in the airport, and fuel sales.
WiFi will soon be available on the airport's ramp, Thaxton said, come Monday when individuals arrive to set up the new system.
Separately, Thaxton commented that the airport has either four or five T-hangars that are available for lease.
• The board is waiting until the adjacent property's owner has returned to the country before it moves forward with a property swap of about 3,000 square feet from both parties.
The swap is needed for the installation of a perimeter-spanning wildlife fence, as the swap would ensure the airport has the FAA-required distance available from the runway to the fence.
• The board announced its Christmas Party for Dec. 11 at roughly 4 p.m., after its December board meeting. Paid for personally by the board members, the party is open to members of the airport community.