County supports upgrade at airport in Barre
File photo by Tom Rivers – An airplane comes in for a landing at Pine Hill Airport on Sept. 8 in Barre. The airport is the only one in Orleans County with a hard-surface runway.
BARRE – The Orleans County Legislature is giving its support to a grant application to pave a ramp area and connector west of a hangar at the Pine Hill Airport in Barre.
The Vintage Aircraft Group, owner of the airport, is seeking a state grant through the Department of Transportation for the funding. It would require a 10 percent local match and VAG would pay that share, about $6,000, said Gene Haines, VAG president.
He wrote a letter to the Legislature on Wednesday, seeking the county’s show of support for the project as part of the 2013 Aviation Capital Grant Program through the DOT.
Pine Hill Airport is the only one in Orleans County with a hard-surface runway. About 20 volunteers keep the airport functioning.
Haines was scheduled to address the Legislature on Wednesday, but that meeting was canceled due to the blizzard. He is expected to be on the agenda March 26. The Legislature today voted to support the application.
“We’d like to assist him in moving forward,” said David Callard, Legislature chairman.
