(Photo by Brett Dunlap) Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport Manager Ben Auville, Andy Daniel of the Wood County Airport Authority and Executive Director of Wood County Economic Development Lindsey Piersol appeared before the Wood County Commission Monday to seek money to hire a grant writer to obtain money for needed infrastructure at the airport to help spur development.

PARKERSBURG — The Mid-Ohio Valley Airport is seeking the county’s help to secure a grant writer who would be able to secure funding for infrastructure needs at the airport in hopes of attracting businesses related to the aviation industry.

Airport Manager Ben Auville, Andy Daniel of the Wood County Airport Authority and Executive Director of Wood County Economic Development Lindsey Piersol appeared before the commission to ask for $25,000 to hire a grant writer they believe will be able to tap federal money that will be available once the federal shutdown has concluded.

The county gave the airport around $25,000 earlier this year to have the Thrasher Group, the airport’s engineering firm, do a set of concept drawings that they took to the Paris Air Show over the summer to show aviation-based businesses what could be done at the airport.

They talked to a number of companies while there and are currently following up with around 25 worldwide companies who might be interested in the airport.

“We have had a few companies show up here that are interested in the airport, but we keep coming to the same impasse,” Daniel said. “We don’t have adequate fire water up on the hill.

“Without fire water, we can’t build anything bigger than 12,000-square-feet.”

During their conversations, Daniel said the companies are happy with security, happy with the airport itself, happy with the runways and more. A couple of them are interested in building facilities that are around 50,000-square-feet.

“They are willing to build the buildings and lease the land from the airport which would generate revenue at the airport and for the county and the state,” he said. “When they realize they can’t build anything over 12,000-square-feet, it is the end of the conversation.”

Daniel said any buildings built over 12,000-square-feet are required to have a fire sprinkler system in place. Many of the existing buildings at the airport were built before that requirement and were grandfathered in.

He said there is no main waterline available to have a sprinkler system to be hooked up in a newly constructed building. Airport officials are looking at ideas that might solve the issue, including hooking into an existing water tower near the 10-28 runway or building a new water tower at the airport that would have the capacity and pressure to meet those requirements so the larger hangar buildings can be built.

The necessary upgrades for water and sewer to the south ramp area of the airport is estimated around $4 million for the first stage of the utilities upgrade.

They have applied for federal earmarks several times and were turned down, airport officials said. They feel the grant writer they are looking at has the knowledge of federal grants that can increase the probability of securing that money once it is available again following the shutdown.

Piersol said they were in conversations with the state as well and are looking at ways to fund the infrastructure projects.

Auville said one of the companies interested in the airport does work for the military, the TSA and others.

Daniel said West Virginia is looking at becoming a location for aviation business with operations in Bridgeport and Clarksburg which produce around $49 million in tax revenue for the state which is not based on flights or airlines, but on jobs that are aviation related.

“We just need this infrastructure,” he said of trying to bring aviation related jobs to the airport.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo asked about a wide range of implications for the region if the airport officials would be willing to approach local cities and counties on both sides of the Ohio River for support. He pointed to Memorial Health System establishing themselves in Sistersville and others working to establish themselves on both sides of the river.

“If we don’t get off our hind ends and do something, the airport will remain the same,” he said.

Daniel said he would be willing to go out and talk with local governments and see what could be done.

Commissioner Blair Couch asked the airport officials to submit the request in writing and they would address it at an upcoming commission meeting.