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WINTERSVILLE -- Design plans for a wildlife exclusion fence at the Geary A. Bates Jefferson County Airpark are at 30 percent completion, the airport consulting firm said Monday, while presenting the latest set of design plans.
Individuals with Michael Baker International presented a plan view for the fence, with some elements having been updated since the Jefferson County Regional Airport Authority's Board of Directors reviewed a draft last month.
New in these plans were indications of necessary tree clearing on both long edges of the airport's runway. Plans also indicated the two staging areas for contractor equipment storage at the airport's northwest corner and by its seating pavilion near the Ralph Freshwater Terminal.
Both sides of the runway are expected to remain open during the entirety of the project, plans noted.
Discussed further during Monday's meeting was a ditch north of the airport's Anthony Mining building. Plans showed the fence moving in toward the runway in order to avoid the ditch, though some members of the board expressed that it would be best to have the fence cut straight through the ditch, which has a significant slope.
"If we ever fill that in, I don't want to have that bottleneck up against the taxiway there," board President Brandon Reese said, referencing the airport's plans to construct a parallel taxiway, which would run alongside the potential fence if it avoided the ditch instead.
Board member Dustin Van Fossen said cutting through the ditch would make for less tree clearing for the project, noting also that having the fence cut inward and around the ditch would hinder development of the location down the line.
"If we're going to do something there and fill the hole in, at that point it'd just be (to) raise the fence," said former board member Mike Menzel.
Airport manager Brian Thaxton gave his approval of either option, but said he preferred to see the fence cut straight through.
Reese asked those with Michael Baker to take into account the change, eliminating the "keyhole" ditch workaround, into their next set of plans.
The board resolved to begin investigating equipment needed for running an access card system, that would utilize radio frequency identification key cards to give approved members access through the fence -- the airport currently has no access system for its operational property. Reese said plans with the Federal Aviation Administration include implementing a computer system, to facilitate key card access, and an RFID writer.
In other business:
• The board discussed different development plans with Thaxton, one of those plans being the painting and re-furnishing of the terminal's interior, the potential costs for which Thaxton was asked to invesitgate.
Other prospective projects discussed included adding a water connection near the airport's storage building, to allow for pressure washing, and the possible installation of a cement wash pad; connecting the Anthony Mining building with a new concrete ramp that would run from a new entrance created by the wildlife fence; pushing the airport's public WiFi out to the airport's commercial hangars; and paying out of the airport's funds to seal some runway cracks while Michael Baker pursues grant funding for a more longterm solution.
• The board approved adjusting its payment policy for hangar tenants. The change was spurred on by a small problem, limited to one or two problem tenants, who pay only enough for their rent but not for their late fees, requiring repeated notifications from the board about their need to pay the fees.
In response, the board changed its policy so that whatever payments are received automatically apply to any outstanding fees first before being applied to monthly rent. Now late fees will be resolved -- lessening notification work on Fiscal Officer Gary Folden's end -- but balance will accumulate for unpaid rent, with the hope of encouraging tenants to pay the full amount.
"We shouldn't be chasing (tenants)," Reese said of the issue.
• The board authorized Folden to increase an appropriation account, permitting him to transfer $100,000 from the airport's fuel sales fund to its general fund.
Necessary for paper trail purposes, the accounting move commenced the board's repayment of its general fund, which had previously paid out $138,000 for the purchase of an aircraft refueling truck. This first $100,000 transfer will be the beginning of repayment from the fuel sales fund, which Folden said should have been the fund to provide for the payment initially, though it lacked sufficient funds at the time.
• The board entered an executive session for personnel matters, after which it approved a motion to recommend the Jefferson County commissioners increase Thaxton's wage by 5 percent, effective upon their approval.
Next, the board approved recommending that the commissioners hire David Barcus as a seasonal employee at the rate of $15 per hour, effective after pre-employment testing.
Finally, the board approved a 5 percent fee increase for their contract with Folden.
• The board approved a motion instituting a policy whereby any of the airport's commercial hangars' lessees that receive a lease credit based on capital improvements are required to submit annually what those leaseholder improvements are, lest they lose the credit.
A policy was deemed necessary for fairness' sake after the board asked the two leaseholders of a commercial hangar to submit in writing what the total cost of their improvements to the hangar are, which will determine whether the existing lease credit is altered.