Runway revamp

April 30--day night's committee of the whole meeting.

The extension would add 1,000 feet to the current 5,200-foot strip at a cost of $30,539,284.

"It's a piece of infrastructure we need to improve to ensure that we maintain the airport as a gateway, and also to provide service to not only WVU and Camp Dawson, but the city and the busi-Morgantown Assistant City Manager Glen Kelly briefed city council on the effort to expand the runway at the Morgantown Municipal Airport during Tuesnesses here," Kelly said.

He said that times have changed since the runway was built.

Due to tighter insurance restrictions, many business aircraft, such as the Gulfstream IV, can only land on a 5,200-foot runway in perfect conditions. He said the upgrade also would accommodate the C-17 military transport, greatly improving the airport's utilization by the West Virginia National Guard.

Kelly said that a benefit-cost analysis is under way, adding that the city hopes to be able to come up with half of the project's cost in order to make it an enticing investment for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

A crucial component of the funding is the ability to partner with the National Guard to do about $8 million worth of earth moving. That, coupled with five years' worth of $1 million annual allotments from the FAA and $3 million coming from WVU to the city for the purchase of the Falling Run property would cover the city's share.

Kelly said if the National Guard is unable to assist in the project, he is also looking into the possibility of the Army Reserve coming on board.

"We built a lot of latitude into this project. We will not start moving any earth for at least two years, but we could even move dirt at year five and a half or six and do other things to facilitate the construction," Kelly explained, adding that several timelines have been created "so that we can use the help when we can get the help."

In other news from Tuesday's meeting, City Attorney Steve Fanok briefed council on where Morgantown stands in regard to the new gun law passed by the state Legislature.

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed SB 317 in March. The law basically states that a city cannot impose gun regulations outside those enforced by the state and federal government.

A city can prohibit firearms by ordinance from city administrative buildings, but not buildings the city owns and rents out, Fanok explained.

While the city can adopt ordinances from openly carrying firearms in recreational facilities, it cannot prevent concealed carry permit owners from bringing a firearm into the facility.

"Where it applies to the city of Morgantown right now, I think we're in good shape. We don't have any laws or ordinances on the books that I see violating this," Fanok said.

Fanok suggested council members contact their representative legislators if they feel changes need to be made to the law.

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