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Committee clears airport leases, advances five‑year CIP and readies air‑service study presentation
Summary
The committee authorized public hearings for a three‑year suite lease (Chase Aviation) and a five‑year DMV CDL testing lease at Jamestown Airport, and approved applications for federal and state grants under the Dunkirk and Jamestown five‑year capital‑improvement plans; Shannon Fisher described CIP projects and an upcoming air‑service study presentation scheduled Dec. 18.
The Chautauqua County Public Facilities Committee authorized public hearings on two Jamestown Airport lease proposals, approved applications for federal and New York State grants for five‑year capital improvement plans at Dunkirk and Jamestown, and discussed progress on an air‑service study aimed at restoring scheduled passenger service.
Shannon Fisher, airport manager, described a three‑year lease proposal for office suite 46 at Jamestown Airport for Chase Aviation and a five‑year commercial lease to allow New York State DMV to conduct CDL testing on airport property. "We just did a 3 month lease to get us through to January, where the tenant wants to do a 3 year lease," Fisher said of Chase Aviation; she noted the rent was raised during the short-term agreement and the tenant uses a garage space and plans to base a Pilatus PC‑12 in the area. On the DMV item, Fisher said the use is primarily a painted area for testing and the lease may need to be reassessed if air service returns because it occupies parking-lot space.
Fisher also walked the committee through the airports' five‑year capital improvement program (2025–2029) covering both Dunkirk and Jamestown. Projects include easement acquisition, obstruction removal, taxiway and runway rehabilitation, T‑hangar design and construction and terminal renovations. She explained funding splits (federal construction grants typically reimburse 95% with 5% local match; some New York State grants are 90/10) and said New York State grant deadlines required earlier approval. Fisher said the county is pursuing essential air service (EAS) opportunities and that an air‑service consultant will present findings at the county's Dec. 18 meeting; Fisher described phase 2/3 work as DOT conversations and airline outreach to prepare an EAS application.
Committee members asked about the timing and accessibility of the air‑service data; Fisher said an executive summary and consultant presentation will be provided Dec. 18 and that federal grant decisions typically arrive by September. The committee authorized the two lease public hearings and separately approved the airport grant‑application resolutions by voice vote.
Next steps: staff will hold the authorized public hearings for the Chase Aviation lease and the DMV testing lease, finalize grant applications for the CIP projects and receive the air‑service presentation on Dec. 18.
