Santorum lands airport funding
U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) has secured a tentative $2 million for Connellsville Airport in the federal transportation bill President Bush is expected to sign soon, chairman Bob Schiffbauer revealed at Tuesday’s meeting of the Fayette County Airport Authority. Schiffbauer lauded Santorum for following through on his pledge to make the Connellsville Airport his top transportation priority in Pennsylvania, noting that the senator had previously acquired a $1.5 million commitment of federal funds.
“This money will go a long way toward helping us improve the airport,” said Schiffbauer, who confirmed the tentative inclusion with one of Santorum’s staffers near the end of the airport board’s meeting.
In another matter related to the improvement package, the authority board announced it would hold the first of several public meetings on Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the student lounge at Penn State Fayette Campus.
The lounge is located in the Williams Building. The workshop meeting will be held in “open house” style, giving the public a chance to learn of the various improvement options under the airport’s long-term master plan.
“There will be a series of these meetings within the next year,” said Schiffbauer, who noted that a key part of the process is allowing the public to “scrutinize” the plan and give its opinion.
Related to the master plan implementation effort, a big part of which is a runway extension that would allow small jets to use the facility, Schiffbauer proposed holding a second open house at Penn State Fayette Campus, this one exclusively for local state legislators and interested county and local officials.
“It was recommended that we have some type of activity for our state legislators,” said Schiffbauer. He suggested the airport sponsor that noontime event next Thursday or Friday, separately from the public open house set for Wednesday night.
Board vice chairman Fred K. Davis said that although he seldom gets involved in such things, “I think it’s an excellent idea.”
Schiffbauer added that the luncheon would let the authority impress the project’s importance on those in Harrisburg that are in key positions to lobby for financial aid.
On another matter, the board agreed to table a decision on awarding a three-year auditing contract to Sarp & Co. Davis withdrew his motion to approve the deal after solicitor Mark Morrison voiced concerns over vague wording in the firm’s proposal.
“They’re not stated (yearly) fees; they’re estimates,” said Morrison. “You might make this motion for $4,450 but it might be nine grand (in the end).”
The Sarp proposal was $4,450 for the year 2002 audit, plus $1,500 for a single audit if necessary; $4,600 for the year 2003 audit, plus $1,550 for any single audit; and $4,750 for the year 2004 audit, plus $1,600 for any single audit.
Board member Jesse Wallace said he favored awarding the contract on a one-year basis, a method he thought would yield the most competitive prices. “I think we should do it year-by-year,” said Wallace.
In other matters, the board:
– Announced that it would host oral presentations from seven firms interested in being awarded 29 separate projects that form the authority’s comprehensive improvement plan. Airport manager Sam Cortis said the work could be divided among any or all of the competing firms, which will make their presentations March 5 and 6 at Penn State Fayette Campus.
– Approved sending Schiffbauer and Cortis to the upcoming Airport Conference in Hershey. Schiffbauer said it was recommended that the authority send representatives to the informative conference.
– Held an end-of-meeting executive session to discuss delinquent lease payments from Carnegie-Mellon University for its defunct truck driving training institute. Schiffbauer said the rent is two months in arrears, at a loss to the authority of at least $7,000.