By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

There were jokes about using an air horn, installing deer whistles on the planes and hiring a deer hunter.

Those alternative suggestions by Hays city commissioners would cost considerably less than installing a $2 million wildlife fence around the perimeter of the Hays Regional Airport. The FAA is requiring the city to install the 10-foot-tall chain link fence–with an additional 1-foot-tall outward angled outrigger and 3-foot buried skirting to deter animal digging–in order for the city to continue receiving FAA grant funds for future airport project.

Assistant City Public Works Director John Braun told commissioners the city has purposely pushed off the project since 2013, but now the FAA wants it built in the summer of 2017. The project cost is a 90/10 split with the city’s total share coming to about $200,000.

“What happens if we don’t do this?,” asked City Commissioner James Meier. “I know the short answer is we don’t get any more FAA money but is that until we do it (install the fence) or that we don’t get any more FAA money, period?”

Braun said the FAA would not approve any additional Hays Airport Improvement Projects (AIP) until the fence is built.  “This is their number one priority,” agreed City Manager Toby Dougherty, “so nothing gets done until this is addressed.”

Meier asked what else is on the AIP the city wants FAA grants for that makes the city willing to comply with the mandatory wildlife fence.

Braun listed replacement of the airport loader which is over 20 years old, reconstruction of the easternmost Taxiway I, and ponding and drainage issues on the apron that need to be addressed–projects planned to be done during the next three years and eligible for FAA grant monies.

“Ultimately, there is consideration for a parallel taxiway on the crosswind runway. SkyWest has concerns that our current taxiway is quite narrow relative to their jet especially on the turning radiuses. So we’ve got a project in the works to widen out at least the turning radiuses and maybe ultimately the taxiway to make it safer.”

“We’re in pretty good shape right now,” Braun acknowledged. “We rebuilt the runway in 2013. We just did a substantial concrete patch job on the crosswind runway.”

Dougherty pointed out the FAA also participates in land acquisitions. “One of the things we’ve had in our Comprehensive Plan is if we could acquire land contiguous somewhere on the east side of the airport. Right now, we’re kind of at our limit for airplane hangar space. So if you could acquire more land, you could have more hangars. That’s something that may materialize extremely quickly and FAA participates 90 percent…I would hate to have this thing looming over us.”

Although he hasn’t looked into it, City Attorney John Bird said “it occurs to me that it could raise an issue with EAS (Essential Air Service). I don’t know what happens if the FAA says ‘this airport has been told to build a fence and they haven’t yet.’ I don’t know if it’s going to divert any flights from Hays.”

City Commissioner Lance Jones and Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil both said they have hit deer with their own vehicles. “I can only imagine what it would do to a jet plane,” Jones said.

“The probability is low but the severity is high,” said Braun.

“I just think it’s the idea of spending $2 million on a fence that…,” Meier started saying, “…that seems ridiculous,” concluded Musil. “I don’t like the price but I don’t think we have a choice,” Musil added.

Mayor Eber Phelps concurred. “I guess it’s time to bite the bullet. We’re trying to ramp up (passenger) boardings right now and it’d be a shame to jeopardize that with our air carrier and the new (morning flight) schedule.”

Commissioners agreed to move the wildlife fence design phase forward as an action item at the Sept. 8 meeting.

And, that idea of hiring a deer hunter, isn’t so far-fetched after all.

According to Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood, the city of Salina “pays a guy to shoot deer on their airport property. They also have a wildlife fence,” Wood told commissioners after the work session concluded.

City Manager Dougherty requested a 25-minute executive session before the meeting’s end for discussion of labor negotiations and confidential material related to proprietary information to include the city commissioners, city attorney and assistant city manager. No action was taken.

Commissioner Henry Schwaller was absent from the work session.