Airport needs, future getting boards’ note
Published 6:00 am Tuesday, January 30, 2001
Brookhaven Airport Commission members say short-termimprovements are needed at the airport while Mayor Bill Godboldsays the long-term possibility of a new facility should beconsidered.
“I think we’re at a point we should be looking now at where weare going to move,” Godbold said Monday during a specially-calledboard meeting with the airport commission.
City Attorney Joe Fernald said the viability of the airportshould be studied to determine if the current location on Heuck’sRetreat Road is the best place for it. He alluded to runwayextension options that are limited without relocating a road at theends of the runway.
“We have no more room,” Fernald said.
In elaborating on airport options later in the meeting, Godboldmentioned a 500-acre tract near the Highway 84-Highway 583intersection as one possibility. However, with their ability to getaerial views of areas, he said airport commission members are in abetter position to consider sites and make a recommendation to theboard.
With the current administration’s term coming to an end, Godboldsaid the city’s options on plans and what it could spend arelimited. He said a new airport is not in the immediate future,although state transportation officials have encouraged the city toconsider other places.
“We’re not in any big hurry,” Godbold said. “It’s somethingthat’s coming down the pike.”
Godbold said the current airport is not suitable for growth, andhe was hesitant to put a lot of money into it.
“If we’re going to take in these corporate jets, we’re going tohave to build something bigger,” Godbold said.
Paul Barnett, airport commission chairman, said an AirportMaster Plan from 1978 indicated four or five possible locations fora new airport. They were not discussed at Monday’s meeting.
Barnett and other commission members indicated their focus nowwas the current airport.
“We’re looking at short-term fixes for problems we have now,”said commission member Keith White, while acknowledging a newfacility would be good.
Barnett said the current facility is well-positioned to be asafe airport, and the commission wanted to make soundrecommendations for its improvement. He said government funds canbe pursued to assist in that effort.
“We’ve got a lot to work at the Brookhaven airport,” Barnettsaid.
Barnett said there is room to grow in the area of hangar space,and he believes new hangars would be occupied quickly if they arebuilt.
The chairman also presented a number of other enhancementprojects being considered for the airport. Among them were aautomated weather observation system (AWOS), addressing somedrainage problems, hangar improvements and terminalmaintenance.
A keyless entry system to allow 24-hour access to the terminalbuilding should arrive this week, Barnett said.
Barnett also mentioned the need to repair a runway “hump.” Theraised area is outside the designated landing area but is stillpotentially dangerous.
“It could, if someone were to hit the hump, cause them to go offthe runway,” Barnett said.
Alderman-at-large Henry Newman questioned the reason for thehump, whether it was due to the contractor or something else.Commission member Jim Duncan said the hump was a “borderlinecase.”
“It’s within the FAA specs,” Duncan said. “It’s very easy toresolve.”
Ward 4 Alderman John Roberts asked about the costs of theenhancement projects.
Barnett said the city’s cost for the AWOS would be $2,500-$5,000with other funding sources covering the remainder of the estimated$100,000 total. A self-service fuel card system has been budgetedat $15,000 and the keyless entry system will cost less than$300.
Costs of the other projects, including the hump repair, were notknown, Barnett said.
In action during the meeting, aldermen authorized Fernald toprepare regulations governing purchases for the airport. Heexpected to have those ready by the board’s next meeting of Feb.6.