News on the Highland County Airport was discussed at the weekly Wednesday morning meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners.

Bob Prosek, president of the Highland County Airport Authority, said that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) didn’t receive its funding until late April. He said, because of that, they held all of the airports up on their grants and grant filing.

Prosek said the FAA told the airports that, whatever project they planned to do this year, they wouldn’t be able to do them, with the FAA saying the projects would be delayed for another year.

He did, however, say that the Highland County Airport spoke to them and asked about engineering and planning. He said that the airport has to do wildlife reports and similar reports for any project, with the FAA saying if they could get the environmental work done quickly, then they could get it in. Prosek said that was what the airport did and hurried to try and get with its engineering firm.

Prosek said the project they were planning on doing this year was drainage improvements. He said there are a lot of washouts where the cement coverts, which the airport needs to fix “so we don’t start losing the runway.”

He also said the airport was going to try to do a fencing project this year, but said the cost was “unbelievable.” He said that’s because an airport fence has to be both six feet aboveground and three feet below ground. Prosek said the price was even looking at almost $100 and up per foot. Because of that, he said that in its 10-year plan, he put it off until 2033.

He said the engineering cost that would come to the county was five percent of the actual cost, $2,365, which the board of commissioners approved. Prosek said the entire job would cost $47,300 to get the ditches done and stuff like that.

In other news, Dave Daniels, chairman of the board of commissioners, reported that the paving for the new OSU Extension Building at the Highland County Fairgrounds finished. He said, with that, he thinks they’re ready to move from the Administration Building to the new place. The board of commissioners approved Wessel’s Workplace Services for the moving service for $6,008.50, which is tentatively scheduled for July 8 and July 9 during normal business hours.

The board of commissioners also approved BNM Painting to repair and paint the Highland County Administration Building pillars and banner section for $2,300.

There were three resolutions approved by the board of commissioners, which are as follows:

*Res. No. 24-103 is an authorization for the creation of a new line item within the 2230 Conceal Carry Law Fund. Also requested was a budget modification within the 2230 Conceal Carry Law fund in the amount of $24,429.60.

*Res. No. 24-104 is a request from Victim Witness for an additional appropriation from unanticipated revenue in the amount of $5,000 within the Victim Witness Assistance Fund.

*Res. No. 24-105 is an authorization for a budget modification within the 2540 Victim Witness Assistance Fund in the amount of $3,000.

There was also one contract approved by the board of commissioners, which is as follows:

*Contract 30 is between the board of commissioners, the Highland County Airport Authority, U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration for a Grant Application Reduction for the Airport Drainage Improvement Project.

Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.