Airport authority talks manager vacancy | News, Sports, Jobs

Jackie Hall, Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport business manager, left, speaks during Tuesday’s Wood County Airport Authority meeting at Jerry’s Flyaway Cafe as authority members, from second from left, Bill Richardson, Bob Tebay and Terry Moore listen.
(Photo by Evan Bevins)

WILLIAMSTOWN — Four people have applied for the open manager’s job at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport.

During Tuesday’s Wood County Airport Authority meeting at the airport restaurant, Jerry’s Flyaway Cafe, authority member Terry Moore said all four applicants “look good” and two have aviation experience.

“I do think it’s important that we get someone with aviation experience,” authority President Bill Richardson said.

Moore said after the meeting a specific date to stop accepting applications was not announced, but traditionally it’s been a week after the last advertisement for the post, which was Dec. 2.

“We’re kind of trying to put it on an expedited basis because the position is vacant,” said Moore, a former airport manager, after Tuesday’s meeting. “If we had a manager in place, we might extend that (period) in order to get more applicants.”

The authority is also considering adding an assistant manager, possibly a recent college aviation program graduate who is up to date on the latest policies and regulations.

“It’s looking like we can probably afford one now for a couple of years,” Moore said.

Airport Manager Denise Myers resigned in November after nearly three months on the job. No interim manager has been appointed, but Business Manager Jackie Hall has been overseeing day-to-day operations, with authority members also getting more involved, Moore said.

“She’s carrying the weight of the whole office right now,” Moore said of Hall. “We certainly appreciate that.”

Hall provided an update on efforts to deal with deer on the airport property. In the last month, she said, at least 20 have been removed, either by airport personnel or individuals with hunting licenses who have undergone special training to allow them to deal with wildlife at an airport.

“They are escorted by our people,” Hall said. “There are certain areas they can’t shoot toward.”

The airport had a strong month of fuel sales, Hall said. A combined 43,607.5 gallons were sold, the most for the month of November in the 10 years included on a chart provided with the meeting agenda. Of that, 39,380 gallons was jet fuel, 37% of which went into military aircraft, Hall said, not just from local units both those from other states passing through the area.

For the fiscal year that began July 1, the airport has so far sold more than 57,000 gallons more than the same period last year.