CAA: GA News, "Airport officials face tougher standards"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wednesday, November 13, 2002

Airport officials face tougher standards
By WILLIAM LANEY 
The Wapakoneta (OH) Daily News

 
NEW KNOXVILLE - Corporate leaders have higher standards for general
aviation airports than the federal government, and that should be
considered when improvements are made at the county's airport, the local
airport president says.

The local official also pledges to continue to develop plans for a new
administration building, or terminal building, at the Neil Armstrong
Airport at New Knoxville.

Auglaize County Airport Authority President Todd Kitzmiller updated
Auglaize County Airport Authority members Tuesday on topics discussed at
last month's Ohio Aviation Association seminar and said the company's
officials are more demanding than the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA). He was specifically referring to a speech by Alan Ball of
Executive Jets of Columbus, a division of NetJets Inc.

Kitzmiller said representatives from Executive Jets must review and
approve an airport before the company will utilize the airport.

"What I thought was interesting and what we found out was, their
standards are actually higher than the FAA's standards in a lot of
ways," said Kitzmiller, who attended the state meeting with board
members Gene Will and Denny Schmeising. "I think that ties in with what
we are trying to get done out here with resurfacing the runway,
extension of the runway. That is going to put us in a position to be
able to take in traffic like this which is what we need to do."

Will said four FAA officials were present at the meeting and told him
that information provided by Neil Armstrong Airport officials and
airport authority members to them is "starting to make more sense."

The county Airport Authority is working on state and federal grant
applications and federal funding requests to garner enough money to
repave the runway and to extend the runway about 1,000 feet. The runway,
which is in need of an asphalt overlay, the runway extension and other
improvements are estimated to cost nearly $1 million.

Airport Authority officials were recently awarded $175,000 from the
state and are seeking $300,000 in federal Airport Investment Reform Act
for the 21st Century grant money. Authority members plan to ask the
state for a second round of money totaling $175,000 next year.

Kitzmiller said another speaker, Dan Stover of the Marion Airport,
talked about problems that could arise regarding the prevailing wage. He
said a construction worker is seeking prevailing wages from that airport
after working on a building for a private company that leases land from
the county.

"The point is that airports that are doing this kind of work - you have
make sure you do your homework before you enter a contract," Kitzmiller
said.

Another speaker at the seminar, Keri Dowling, noted airport officials
should review their enabling resolution - the resolution that created
airport authorities and stipulated board's powers and responsibilities.
Kitzmiller requested Auglaize County Board of Commissioners President
John Bergman provide a copy of the resolution so that it could be
reviewed by the commissioners and Airport Authority members. 

Kitzmiller told board members and Commissioners Ivo Kramer and Bergman
that he also plans to continue to develop plans for a new administration
building at the airport.

"I understand the position the county is in, but at the same point in
time, I want to keep moving on this," Kitzmiller said. "At least as an
airport authority, we should come up with what we think are a list of
requirements and try to put an estimate in dollars so you can put the
project on your radar screen."

The county is currently building a $4.54 million administration building
at the intersection of West Pearl and South Blackhoof streets.

Board members plan to drive or fly to a number of airports to visit
terminal buildings to develop a list of needs or requirements. Will said
in his travels that he has learned adequately sized conference rooms is
a big concern of business representatives.

"I like your idea of going around and looking at facilities because that
is what we did before we started on the county administration building,"
Kramer said. "We are doing the same thing as we look for furniture for
the county administration building."


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