Pictured above are the guests who attended the Adams County Regional Planning Commission’s meeting Monday night at the Olde Wayside Inn. They are, left to right, seated, Pete Smith, distributor for Cessna Aircraft; Norman Crabtree, Director of Ohio Division of Aviation; Gerald Chambers, Engineer in charge of design of county airports and Ernie Webb, State Division of Aviation.
January 27, 1966
The Annual Meeting of the Adams County Regional Planning Commission was held Monday night at the Olde Wayside Inn, West Union, at which time David List was elected as Chairman; James Abbott, Vice Chairman and Helen Macauley, Secretary.
Immediately following the election, the members of the commission with their guest, the County Commissioners, County Engineer and the members of the County Airport Board were given a thorough explanation backed up by films on the imperative need of an airport in Adams County.
Norman Crabtree, Director of Ohio Division of Aviation, who was guest speaker for the evening dinner-meeting, told those in attendance that there was no way for the county to lose. The State has already agreed to grant $100,000 for the specific purpose of building the structure, putting in the runway, which will be paved and with adequate lights and what other necessities the grant will cover.
Mr. Crabtree also informed the group that most airport facilities along the line proposed cost in the neighborhood of between $100,000 and $125,000. The lower of the two figures has already been earmarked by the State for Adams County but will not be in existence forever. It must be used within the next 16 months by June 1967.
It was also emphasized that the county must own the land on which the airport is to be constructed before any money changes hands. Mr. Crabtree wasn’t too concerned as to the acquisition of the real estate, be it either a grant or by purchase by the county. In effect, what the State is saying, ‘If you will furnish the land, we will build a $100,000 airport on it, free.’
Should the proposed airport become a reality, it would be situated in an area that would serve the greatest number of people. It would be owned and operated by the county or, if the county so desired, it could sublet the operation to a private individual.
Ernie Webb, a former resident of Seaman, now with the Division of Aviation, also took part in Monday night’s meeting as did Gerald Chambers, Engineer in charge of design for county airports.
Pete Smith, of Cincinnati, a distributor for Cessna Aircraft, gave the group pertinent information on how to operate a county airport at a profit. Mr. Smith stated he would help teach and train personnel in these operations at no expense to the county.
All who took part in the program stressed the fact that the need for an airport in the County is now. The funds are available, and industries are searching for sites in this area for plants but insist on a county airport.
There are over 43,000 companies in the United States that own or lease airplanes for company travel and Ohio alone has 1,700 company owned planes.
John Frailey, Regional Planning Commissioner, stated all who were present left with the determination to put Adams County on the Air Maps by building an airport. He also stated that any civic groups may contact him at his office in the County Court House for films showing other county airports.
