Photo by Amber Phipps
Construction on the terminal roof began during the last week of February and is expected to be completed by April.
WILLIAMSTOWN — The Wood County Airport Authority gathered at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport on Tuesday morning to discuss updates and future leasing plans.
Construction for the roof on the old terminal began last week and the team is making major progress. The roof is expected to be completed before the end of the month.
The board didn’t have the emplanement numbers for January or February but fuel sales for the month of February ranked fifth highest in the past 20 years at 34,000 gallons.
Since the contract for commercial air service ended this year, Mid-Ohio Valley has received interest from carriers to operate at the airport.
The U.S. Department of Transportation process hasn’t started yet so there are currently no bids from airlines about operating under the federal Alternate Essential Air service program, Manager Ben Auville said.
“Traditionally, bids are released sometime in June which gives you enough time for the bid adjudication process,” said Auville.
They are expecting for the process to start by the end of March or by early April.
Once this process starts, the authority is planning to change security systems and two-factor authentication entry points to accommodate these new airline services.
“Some of these aircraft are gonna have the ability to put three to five times as many people on the plane than we can sit right now,” said Auville.
The authority is in contact with multiple other airlines to discuss the best options for choosing the right companies and resources to work with on these expansion projects.
Operations Manager Sydnie Beall has plans to release surveys to the community at local businesses around the Mid-Ohio Valley to ask members where they would like to travel.
The goal is to get a better idea on which airlines to work with and where to expand.
The authority also discussed potential insurance and leasing concerns for private plane owners and what coverage would look like under a structured lease.
There is discussion on setting a structured lease with defined terms and a focus on liability. Private owners have concerns about other owners violating lease agreements.
Authority President Bill Richardson said people should have the freedom to have insurance or not for their plane, but the liability coverage is what protects other pilots and their planes.
The board is also planning on having people resign their lease at the beginning of the fiscal year and update the contact information for every individual. This will allow for the authority to have a way to contact every individual under lease.
Beall discussed a few updates with upcoming events and community outreach. The authority approved the bid to purchase six sets of bunker gear from Atlantic.
According to Beall, the retired gear can be used for student training since that gear will be replaced.
The authority is also planning an egg hunt that will be occurring sometime around Easter and will be held at the airport.
Beall also spoke about a potential 5K that community members can sign up to run or walk. Community engagement and outreach is a big goal for the authority this year and Beall has seasonal and holiday events lined up for anyone to participate in.
Amber Phipps can be reached at [email protected]
