OXFORD — Repairs to the Oxford County Regional Airport may exceed $300,000 as county commissioners begin to move through a to-do list of items that must be completed before the facility’s future is determined, county Administrator Scott Cole said.
The list ranges from complying with state Department of Environmental Protection regulations, fixing the fuel system and repairing the building, to dealing with operations issues and establishing the future of the complex on Number Six Road.
One of the first items on the list is repairs to the roof, which has several leaks, Cole said.
“We can’t move forward until the roof is fixed,” he said. Estimates for the roof and plumbing repairs have not been ascertained yet, he said.
Oxford Aviation, an aircraft refurbishing business, was served a two-day notice of eviction on April 1 after 25 years of leasing the building from the county. The writ of possession was the culmination of a six-month legal battle between the company and commissioners. The writ gave former owner Jim Horowitz 48 hours to remove the company’s possessions and vacate the 40,000-square-foot building.
In addition to a plane that has been removed by its owner, thousands of gallons of chemical compounds and paint were left behind before the facility’s doors were locked shut by the county.
The chemical compounds in 55-gallon drums and paints have been inventoried and stabilized, but must be removed from the site. Early estimates for cleanup costs are between $50,000 and $100,000, he said previously.
The commissioners’ list also includes hiring a consultant and interviewing and selecting a hazardous waste disposal company.
An auction will eventually be held by Community Concepts, which acts as the creditor in this situation, Cole said. The auction will consist of equipment and aircraft items related to refurbishing of airplanes.
While the airport runway is still open, aviators have not been able to fuel up at the facility, Cole said.
Oxford Aviation held the fuel system as part of the lease with the company. To reopen it, the commissioners’ list has a number of items that have to be done, including draining the fuel, replacing parts and installing a pay-at-the-pump system. An operator will have to be hired and trained, along with other measures before the fuel pump will be opened to aviators.
As for former Oxford Aviation owner Jim Horowitz, Cole described the county’s relationship with him as “over.”
Except for possibly trying to recuperate money from him for several items that they believe Horowitz was negligent with, “He’s a moot point,” Cole said.
Some 80 creditors are listed in the court documents, each laying a claim to a part of Oxford Aviation.
Cole said the county will not necessarily lease the building again. “What the future occupancy looks like, we don’t know yet,” he said.
One possibility, he said, is a self-storage unit that may not have to be heated but small airplanes could be stored and pushed in and out of the facility.
The runway, which has never closed, would remain open for use so pilots could fly in and out.
But before a final determination is made, Cole said they hope to have several meetings with aviators to get their input. Additionally, the commissioners must establish minimum standards for the airport, establish vehicle gate access and discuss issues with the Federal Aviation Association.
Cole said the commissioners are dealing with a number of other issues at the facility, including spot repair of exterior walls, installing a new bathroom and servicing the hangar doors.
The Oxford Aviation sign will be removed and a new sign with the county name will be installed.
ldixon@sunjournal.com
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