Supervisor wants straight talk on Columbia County Airport plans
“County Supervisor Art Bassin, D-Ancram, called on Columbia County Economic Development Commissioner Ken Flood to get more information from the Federal Aviation Administration before the county moves forward with pursuing eminent domain rights against the owners of Meadowgreens Golf Course in an effort take down six acres of trees and acquire property near the Columbia County Airport.
Near the conclusion of the county Economic Development Committee meeting Monday, Bassin called on Flood to get the needed information regarding whether the county airport’s runway would be shortened if it didn’t acquire the property and take down the trees.
Supervisors have been told for years that would be the case, Bassin said, but there is no documentation from the FAA requiring shortening the runway.
According to a letter from the FAA New York Airports District Manager Steven Urlass to the county last month, the county’s failure to remove obstructions could jeopardize the county’s ability to “secure FAA funding for future projects.””
Mayberg, Nathan. Register Star 24 September 2013.