Airport board considers Goodrich land lease

The Jamestown Regional Airport Authority discussed ground lease rates for the property leased by Goodrich for its factory.

The airport owns the land while Goodrich owns the buildings for the 20-acre site. The current lease, which expires in two months, is at a rate of $150 per year per acre.

“We have set a value for the leases along Highway 20 at $500 per acre,” said Andrew Schneider, airport manager. “We intended to work our way up to that type of rate.”

Schneider had held preliminary discussions with Goodrich officials and further meetings were scheduled.

“We need to proceed cautiously,” said Jim Boyd, vice president of the airport authority. “They have had one cutback and are currently looking at another voluntary cutback now and another after the first of the year.”

Boyd agreed to accompany Schneider in further negotiations with Goodrich.

In other news, Mesaba boardings continue to outperform last year, Schneider reported.

“We saw 304 passengers boarding this September compared to 200 a year ago,” he said, referring to September 2008.

Schneider also reported on efforts to discourage seagulls from sitting on runways.

“The airport has been hazing the birds,” he said. “The seagulls are feeding on the crickets that come out of the grass onto the runways.”

Hazing efforts include using bird bangers, a sort of firecracker, and other noise-making equipment.

“We have had several strikes of seagulls on planes and a couple of cancelled flights,” Schneider said.

No injuries or damages were reported in any of the bird strikes.

The November regular meeting of the airport authority was moved to 6 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the terminal because of the Veteran’s Day Holiday.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at (701) 952-8452 or by e-mail at knorman@jamestownsun.com

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