Airport Meeting Focuses on Remedies, Future

By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY

Cleaver Senior Staff Writer

HARRISON – The August Clare County Airport Committee saw attendance by Commissioners David Hoefling and Gabe Ambrozaitis, with Commissioner Rickie Fancon absent due to a work conflict.

Receiving no public comment on the agenda, it was approved, as were the July 2026 meeting minutes.

The meeting then moved to the Airport Manager’s Report, wherein Emerson Corder described having sprayed the runway for weeds in preparation for crack sealing by the Clare County Road Commission. He noted the new beacon had arrived and was awaiting installation. Corder also reported the tractor was still at the service/repair shop with no word on progress from that business.

MDOT inspects Basic Utility Airports every three years and, with 80D last inspected in August of 2023, it was due for the most recent inspection this past August. Corder said that detailed formal drone report was expected within 30 days, but preliminarily had pointed out the need to address more trees on the approach to 36, and some on the approach for 18.

One of those property owners had already given him approval, leaving three others to contact, however specific trees won’t be determined until the detailed drone report is in hand.

Reporting on monument repair, Corder said he had found only one on the turf runway [buried 8 inches deep and rotted] and none were found for the paved runway. Corder said he would continue to look for others, but those will have to be replaced as they must be visible from the surface.

“We know where they’re supposed to be,” Corder said. “We know they’re either not there or they’re pretty far in the ground and in bad shape, so they need to be replaced.”

He explained that the monuments can be done in different ways: with a flat-topped stake [thin rod threaded through a large washer top], a flush cinderblock painted white, or the preferred surveyor’s stake with coordinates stamped into the plate.

The MDOT inspector was described as being “nice personable, professional and down-to-earth” – and currently the only airport inspector in Michigan.

He also spoke of the need for signage at the south entrance for vehicle parking.

Most of those items were part of New Business, along with approval of a motion to change the September meeting to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 [rather than Tuesday, Sept. 22] due to all-day wildlife mitigation and snowplowing trainings which both Ambrozaitis and Corder will be attending at Midland-Bay City-Saginaw Airport.

Old Business items continue to be carried forward so they can be addressed as opportunity allows. One is the Michigan Army National Guard projects in 2027-2028, and Ambrozaitis informed that he would be attending a September meeting where he would be pressing the National Guard for answers.

Ambrozaitis also noted the CTE Initiative for Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic will be addressed at a meeting that he, John Parrish and Corder have slated for the morning of Sept. 23 for discussion with Eric Johnson at the Career and Technical Education building regarding that APM curriculum. He said that proposal would continue to be moved forward, looking at where it would be done and review/continue to review the curriculum.

“It seems to be promising,” Ambrozaitis said. “So, we will continue that discussion.”

He further informed of the Clare County Board of Commissioners having accepted the MDOT grants received for FY 2026 for crack sealing and the LED beacon, adding that half of that grant money had already been received. As yet, there has been no confirmation of MDOT grant opportunities for FY 2027.

Ambrozaitis also informed that the FY 2027 Airport Budget Request of $40,500 included a $15,500 increase which clearly stated where those funds would be applied. [NOTE: That increase was approved at the BOC’s special meeting held Sept. 2.]

Another item in New Business centered around the MDOT inspector’s revelation that due to a clearance overlap with paved runway 18/36 [lights encroachment], the turf runway 9/27 would need to be shifted several feet to the north. There was discussion of how best to do that, but it certainly would seem to be an opportune time to tackle it, with the turf refurbishing being an existing and much-needed project.

The Airport Committee will meet next at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 in the BOC Room of the Clare County Building, 225 W. Main St. in Harrison. The regular fourth Tuesday meetings will resume Oct. 27.