Airport authority seeks county funding
The Fayette County Airport Authority took action Tuesday to formally request more than $1.5 million from the county commissioners that was previously promised to the airport out of the county’s bond issue. The authority voted to send a formal request to the commissioners after solicitor Mark F. Morrison reviews the letter. Commission chairman Vincent A. Vicites, who attended the meeting, said the commissioners previously committed $2 million to the authority and have only allocated $428,000. Vicites said since the money was promised, he plans to stick to the commitment. He said the authority should get the request in soon so the money can be disbursed before October.
Vicites said that the money must be spent by the end of the year and he urged the authority to make the request soon. He said the planned runway extension at the Connellsville Airport is an important project for the future of the county and pledged to continue to seek funding on the federal level.
Authority chairman Fred K. Davis said the amount from the commissioners could leverage $20 million in federal funds.
Saying he was pleased with the activity at the airport, Vicites urged the authority to keep the momentum going. He said the future Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation center will be a great thing for the airport.
On a related matter, Vicites said a private developer is considering 13 acres near the airport for the future site of a hotel and restaurant. “Private investment is the key to the county’s growth,” Vicites said.
Authority member Martin Griglak said getting a nearby hotel would be a win-win situation. He said the potential development could lead to an access road and would improve the tax base of the township. “It may help the Laurel Mall. There’s all kinds of possibilities if we keep all our balls in the air,” Griglak said.
Regarding projects at the airport, the authority took action and heard updates on several projects.
The authority voted to pay Benatec Associates $60,000 toward the remaining $81,000 bill for the Master Plan Phase II.
Joseph S. Grubbs of Michael Baker Corp. reported that the final design of the service road relocation will be done by Sept. 1. Baker is also handling the engineering and architectural services for the construction of a new general aviation terminal at the airport.
Donald A. Stephanik of McCormick, Taylor and Associates Inc. emphasized the need to get started on the environmental assessment for the runway improvement project. He said hashing out the final details for the scope of the project is imperative to meet the September 2004 date for final design.
Consultant Gene Lakin said the grant is in place for the first phase. The authority voted to give the notice to proceed with the initial phase of the assessment. Plans are to eventually extend the runway to 4,500 feet.
Michael J. Kolesar of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Aviation said in addition to the terminal building and storm water management grants, additional grants for the design of a water and sewage projects should be on the way.
The authority heard a report from Dick Widmer of Widmer Engineering Inc. regarding the outlook for public sewage for the airport. Widmer said he has spoken to two providers, but is still in the negotiating stages and wasn’t able to provide firm figures.
During the solicitor’s report, Morrison said that he completed a response to the complaint filed by TOL Aviation. He said a hearing is scheduled for August.
Morrison said through his research, he is more convinced than ever that the authority will be able to keep the building and collect the past rent.
In May, TOL Aviation, which operated a hangar at the airport since October 1982 through a long-term lease, filed suit against the authority. The hanger, which was constructed by TOL and has cost more than $300,000 throughout the years, is subleased to renters.
The lease expired in October 2002.
After a court ruling meant to eject TOL from the hangar, TOL owner Richard E. Nensel claimed that the authority wrongfully changed the locks and ordered tenants to make rent payments to the authority. Morrison said the authority has agreed not to take action until the issue is resolved. He said when the actions were taken, the authority believed it owned the building. Currently, the rent money is being put in an escrow account pending the outcome of the litigation.
Morrison said he believes the issue will come to a head in the next 30 days. He added that he really feels the authority has a strong position legally.
A paragraph in the lease states that if the hangar isn’t removed within 90 days of the completion of the lease, it will become the property of the authority. Morrison said nothing was done by TOL to begin removing the hangar. “It’s our position that we own them,” Morrison said of the hangars, which house six aircraft.
Following a brief executive session, the authority voted to approve a drug free workplace policy for employees.