Nov 20, 2002 By Paul Sunyak 4 min read

The Fayette County Airport Authority has picked a three-firm “short list” from nine companies vying to perform the required environmental assessment on an ambitious runway extension/improvement project. At Tuesday’s meeting, board Chairman Jesse Wallace made a motion to select as finalists Michael Baker Jr. Inc. of Pittsburgh, Skelly & Loy Inc. of Harrisburg and Monroeville, and a tripartite group comprised of McCormick, Taylor & Associates, Lee-Simpson Associates Inc. and local firm McMillen Engineering Inc.

Although some of their individual “short lists” contained other applicants, the five-member board voted unanimously to have those three firms come in next week for a scope-of-work meeting.

Following a selection plan outlined by transportation consultant William Piper, the board agreed to have the firms submit technical proposals the following week, followed the next week by an oral presentation.

The plan calls for the board to pick one of the three firms at its regular December meeting, with an eye toward them starting work in early 2003.

Piper estimated that the environmental assessment approval process, which requires four public meetings, would take a year to complete. He also recommended that the runway-related environmental assessment be separated from other, and likely smaller, projects in the authority’s five-year plan.

Board members Wallace, Bob Schiffbauer, Fred Davis, Martin Griglak and Tim Mahoney seemed to agree with the wisdom of that move. Piper said that it makes sense to parcel out the smaller environmental assessment pieces as other components of the airport improvement plan fall into place.

In another runway improvement matter, Scott Fredrickson of Benatec Associates, an authority consultant, briefed the board on the update to Phase II of the airport’s master plan. Fredrickson said the revised plan shows that the airport would generate another 800 “operations” – defined as either an aircraft takeoff or landing – with the runway improvement.

Fredrickson said the authority had to show a minimum of 500 “operations” in order to get state Bureau of Aviation support for the project. “This is what it comes down to, as far as justification for a runway extension,” he said.

Schiffbauer said lots of people don’t understand the vital importance of the master plan and how documentation of future runway use is key to improving the airport’s runway situation. “We’re headed in the right direction to accomplish our goals,” said Schiffbauer.

Basically, the airport is currently limited in the size of jet it can handle, a shortcoming that the authority board and county commissioners have identified as a top priority for rectification.

Wallace noted the importance of having an adequate airport to serve the businesses that county officials are trying so hard to attract.

“Tax-free business sites don’t mean a whole lot if you can’t land corporate jets within five or 10 miles of them,” said Wallace.

Scott Bush, another Benatec consultant, told the board that the updated master plan information could affect other things, such as the speed of infrastructure development on airport grounds.

In other matters, the board:

? Was briefed by Davis and Griglak on a meeting held with representatives of the Fayette County Zoning Office. They said the two-hour meeting was informative in terms of helping the authority understand how zoning works and how things can be expedited.

? Discussed the potential adverse impact of having a state police helicopter pad near the airport. Wallace suggested that the authority ask for a meeting to discuss the issue. Solicitor Mark Rowan noted that the state Bureau of Aviation was “certainly aware” of the pad’s planned presence at the new state police facility.

? Held an end-of-meeting executive session to discuss an overtime pay claim by former office manager Diana Wally, a situation regarding payment of back rent on a hangar and the terms of renewal on a current lease. Rowan said the latter item fell under the “real estate” exemption to the state’s Open Meetings Law.

? Voted unanimously to give airport employees $25 holiday gift certificates.

? Voted unanimously to approve online banking service with National City Bank. Wallace said the move would bring the authority into the 21st century.