May 4, 2011
By Charles Owens
TAZEWELL, Va. – A proposed 700-foot runway extension at the Tazewell County Airport will assist corporate jet traffic, officials said Tuesday.
Airport Administrator Jerry McReynolds asked the county board of supervisors to endorse the runway extension project Tuesday. According to McReynolds, the runway extension will allow larger business aircrafts to operate within safety guidelines as established by major insurance companies.
The resolution of support for the extension project was passed unanimously by the board. The resolution doesn’t include county funding support at this time. A copy of the resolution will be forwarded to the Virginia Department of Aviation and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The airport has undergone several upgrades in recent years, including an obstruction removal project, which also allowed the airport authority to activate a new localized instrument approach system.
In other action Tuesday, the board approved the state-required minimal funding for the county school board, but pledged to look at additional funding support for the school system during a recessed meeting scheduled for next Monday.
“This is not the end all be all, we plan on adjusting this on Monday night,” vice chairman Seth White said.
The school system has requested level funding in addition to $500,000 in new local funds, board chairman David Anderson said.
In other action Tuesday, board members discussed financial challenges faced by the county with the proposed Tannersville Water Project. The project would serve about 107 citizens.
However, White said the county can’t afford to finance the estimated cost of the project at this point without additional state or federal funding support.
“Here is the bottom line,” White said. “We want to help, we want to give them water. But we can’t break our whole county at an extra $150,000 a year for water. If we need water over there, we need to come up with a more viable option.”
“I need to find a way to get these folks water, and I need the board’s help in doing so,” Southern District board member Mike Hymes said.
Western District Supervisor John Absher said Claypool Hill needs a major sewer upgrade, which he said could be funded by the expense proposed for the Tannersville project.
In other action, the board passed a resolution honoring B.C. Fuller of Bluefield, Va., for his years of dedication and service to the county, including his continued support of the county fair association. In other business, Northern District board member Jim Campbell appointed Ricky Edward Compton Sr., of Baptist Valley to fill a vacancy on the county’s Industrial Development Authority created by the resignation of Shea Cook of Richlands.
The board members also announced three additional public workshops on zoning.
The meetings will be held on May 10 at the Burkes Garden Community Center; May 11 at the Abbs Valley-Boissevain Elementary School; and May 12 at the Jewell Ridge Community Center.
The public meetings are being held to solicit public input as part of the board’s ongoing efforts to develop a county-wide zoning ordinance.
http://bdtonline.com/local/x1071584837/Tazewell-board-supports-runway-extension-project
Source: BLUEFIELD DAILY TELEGRAPH
Date: 2011-05-04