Commissioners advance plans for transit facility at airport
The Fayette County Commissioners Tuesday took steps toward their goal of locating the county’s ground transportation service at the Connellsville Airport. Several motions were approved related to the construction of a building to house the headquarters of the Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation (FACT) at the airport. Among the action, the commissioners voted to place on Thursday’s meeting agenda two motions to advertise for requests for proposals for architectural and engineering services for the FACT transit facility project.
The county airport authority previously designated 4.3 acres at the airport for the FACT project. Commissioner chairman Vincent A. Vicites and Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh have voiced support for making the airport an intermodal facility for the county. They have both speculated that with continued events at Nemacolin Woodlands and plans for a runway extension, the airport will become an expanded and well-used site in the future.
The commissioners also voted to place on Thursday’s agenda a motion to give Michelle Shumar, the director of FACT and the Office of Human and Community Services; a solicitor for the office; and FACT consultant Harold Jenkins authority to negotiate with the airport authority for the cost of leasing the property that will house the facility.
The property, which has undergone environmental testing, is located in a wooded area near the entrance to the airport.
A total of $1.6 million in state and federal funds is available for the project and must be spent by September. Vicites said work is under way by Franklin John for an appraisal of the property and plans are to have Jim Hercik perform an appraisal for the county.
Shumar also asked the commissioners to approve an agreement between the Human and Community Services/FACT office with Sheryl R. Heid for legal consultation services.
The commissioners pointed out that Heid was no longer an assistant county solicitor and money was not budgeted for her to work with the Human and Community services department. Cavanagh added however that he didn’t have a problem with the department paying for her legal services.
Shumar said she wanted to be sure a solicitor is in place for her department. “We need to keep continuity,” she said.
The commissioners also voted to place on Thursday’s agenda a motion for two staff members to participate in the Federal Transit Administration Grants Management Seminar in Philadelphia later this month. Shumar said on the second day of the seminar, plans are to meet with the Federal Transit Authority. Cavanagh asked Shumar to keep the commissioners informed about any issues that are “deal killers.”
“We don’t have time to wait. This project is very important,” Cavanagh said. He pointed out that Ed Rendell takes office as governor on Jan. 21 and Rendell and U.S. Reps. John Murtha and Bill Shuster need to be kept in the loop about the project.
Vicites said he believes the county is well within its time frame to get the money by September.