Salem Air Board meets

Price set for airport sale

During the meeting of the Salem Board of Aviation Commissioners on Wednesday, Jan. 17, the following business was handled:

DISCUSSED: Proposals will be sought for the purchase of the property where the current airport is located. During the December meeting, the board set a minimum price of $351,250 for the about 51-acre property. The board has discussed selling the entire property in one piece. Local pilots who use the airport asked if it might be possible for them to purchase a portion of the property that includes the current runway that they might use as a taxiway to the new runway. They were told all proposals will be considered.

APPROVED: Jason Cockerill was elected board president, Daniel Habermel was selected as vice-president, and Adam Kelly was named secretary.

APPROVED: The board will continue to meet on the third Wednesday of each month. A closed executive session will begin at 5 p.m. and the public meeting will open at 5:30 p.m.

APPROVED: Lowell Depoy’s contract as airport manager was approved for 2018. He will be paid a base salary of $800 monthly.

APPROVED: Resource and Traynor Associates will be used during the appraisal process for three parcels of real estate the board plans to acquire for the airport. Resource will charge $3,500 for the appraisal of each parcel and Traynor Associates, which reviews appraisals, will charge a total of $5,000.

DISCUSSED: John Mead, the board’s attorney, said he was notified by the city that the airport’s operations account will be charge for the electric bill on the new terminal building. The city had paid the electric bills. He noted a recent bill was about $245.

APPROVED: An updated capital improvement plan for the next five years includes the construction of access roads, grading for the remaining portion of the runway to extend it to 5,000 feet, as well as the paving and lighting of that extension.

DISCUSSED: All major concrete pours for the apron at the new airport have been completed except for one that requires a re-pour. That will occur when weather allows.

DISCUSSED: The replacement for a communications tower that must be removed before the new airport runway can open won’t be built until July at the earliest or October at the latest.