Airport Board names Stricklin part-time manager

Don Stricklin

After meeting in executive session for more than 45 minutes Tuesday night, the Williamsburg/Whitley County Airport Board agreed to name Don Stricklin as the part-time Airport Manager.

“We have got to have a management presence because there are just too many things that can get out of control without a daily presence,” said Board Chair Tim Mays in explaining the decision.

Mays noted that a dedicated corps of volunteers along part-time employee Amanda Head have kept the airport functioning, but someone is needed in the management position to ensure daily maintenance issues, such as testing the fuel. is completed.

Mays said there is no timeframe to find a full-time manager but finding the person to fill that position will be part of Stricklin’s job, working in conjunction with the hiring committee.

“We would like it to be tomorrow,” Mays said, noting the board had an excellent applicant but does not currently have the money to fill the position.

Stricklin noted the board currently has $28,000 budgeted for salaries at the airport in the current budget. The fiscal year for the board ends June 30.

Stricklin said he sees his job strictly as an organizational move.

“Hopefully, we can organize people and work together to go in a good direction,” Stricklin said.

Ideally, he will just be arranging schedules and ensuring required maintenance is completed.

“Just kind of be a supervisor more than a manager,” Stricklin said, noting he has the airport and two other businesses for which he does accounting along with owning and operating Hollywood Video.

Stricklin is retired from the State of Kentucky after working as an auditor in the Revenue Cabinet for 29 years.

Stricklin said after speaking with the board and understanding the financial situation, it was his understanding they were looking for someone to oversee, supervise and be a person of contact should any issues arise.

The issue of a manager came up at the December meeting when Strickland pointed out during his monthly financial report that it was embarrassing that the airport had lacked a manager for so long.

Board member Mike Colegrove agreed.

“I think we need to take a bold step and get ourselves some management out here and put that in place and I think … I’m not a crystal ball gazer … but I think that will make all the difference in the world.”

In other business the board:

• Agreed to lower the price of aviation gas to $4.26 to get more traffic at the airport and clear out the fuel that is now close to six-months-old.

The price is being reduced from 4.79 per gallon based on the current prices at nearby airports.

• Approved a motion to file paperwork with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife to permit year-round trapping of coyotes inside the fence boarding the airport.

The coyotes are reportedly becoming more of an issue with employees reporting seeing feces on the runway and taxiways. In addition, coyotes have reportedly come up onto the porch of the Air Evac building.

Trapping season typically ends at the end of February.

• Officially welcomed Joe Bradshaw as the newest member of the Board