County approves unexpected costs for airport improvement
NORWICH – Chenango County officials are bearing some unanticipated costs associated with recent improvements to the Lt. Warren Eaton Airport in Norwich.
Members of the County Board of Supervisors hesitantly approved this week that nearly $9,000 be paid for a FAA flight inspection of the airport’s approach path.
According to local officials, the inspection fulfills FAA requirements that were put in place due to the county’s recently finished obstruction removal project during which dozens of trees around the airport were cut, making the approach path safer and more visible for incoming flights.
The half-million dollar tree cutting project entailed trimming or removing trees on approximately 10 acres of land surrounding the county-owned airport. Many trees, most of which were on private property, had grown tall enough to obstruct pilots’ view of the runway and, in accordance with FAA regulations, limit runway use to daytime hours only.
The tree cutting project didn’t fall entirely on the shoulders of county taxpayers. It met FAA grant criteria, meaning federal funds covered 90 percent of the total cost. Remaining expenses were divvied between the county and the state, both of which kicked-in 5 percent (approximately $24,650).
The FAA flight inspection will give the county a needed nod of approval for work done.
With the tree cutting project completed earlier this year, the county had hoped to incorporate the flight inspection into a future or current FAA grant program to seek reimbursement for the expense, but instead were faced by an upfront payment.
“This isn’t without some disappointment that we spent almost a million dollars with the expectation that we would alter the flight path,” said Preston Supervisor Pete Flanagan. “We had a grant and this wasn’t in the grant. It’s quite a disappointment that we’re going to have to shell out the money from our own pocket. Somebody dropped the ball.”
The county’s Planning Committee has been discussing the tree removal project for two years. In 2015, the county contracted with an Albany-based engineering and consulting firm to manage the project. Officials said hopes of future improvements to the airport start with compliance of FAA regulations, and that meant cutting trees blocking pilots’ approach to the runway.
Members of the County Board of Supervisors hesitantly approved this week that nearly $9,000 be paid for a FAA flight inspection of the airport’s approach path.
According to local officials, the inspection fulfills FAA requirements that were put in place due to the county’s recently finished obstruction removal project during which dozens of trees around the airport were cut, making the approach path safer and more visible for incoming flights.
The half-million dollar tree cutting project entailed trimming or removing trees on approximately 10 acres of land surrounding the county-owned airport. Many trees, most of which were on private property, had grown tall enough to obstruct pilots’ view of the runway and, in accordance with FAA regulations, limit runway use to daytime hours only.
The tree cutting project didn’t fall entirely on the shoulders of county taxpayers. It met FAA grant criteria, meaning federal funds covered 90 percent of the total cost. Remaining expenses were divvied between the county and the state, both of which kicked-in 5 percent (approximately $24,650).
The FAA flight inspection will give the county a needed nod of approval for work done.
With the tree cutting project completed earlier this year, the county had hoped to incorporate the flight inspection into a future or current FAA grant program to seek reimbursement for the expense, but instead were faced by an upfront payment.
“This isn’t without some disappointment that we spent almost a million dollars with the expectation that we would alter the flight path,” said Preston Supervisor Pete Flanagan. “We had a grant and this wasn’t in the grant. It’s quite a disappointment that we’re going to have to shell out the money from our own pocket. Somebody dropped the ball.”
The county’s Planning Committee has been discussing the tree removal project for two years. In 2015, the county contracted with an Albany-based engineering and consulting firm to manage the project. Officials said hopes of future improvements to the airport start with compliance of FAA regulations, and that meant cutting trees blocking pilots’ approach to the runway.
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