Shannon Barnhart, Manager of Airports, and PJ Wendel, Chautauqua County Executive

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel has announced the appointment of Shannon Barnhart as the new Manager of Airports for Chautauqua County.

Barnhart replaces former director Ron Almeter.

Wendel discussed his efforts to hire a full-time airport manager in his State of the County address, “To give our county airports the proper attention that they need to take our airports in new directions for economic development, expand services, and generate revenue for Chautauqua County.”

Barnhart previously served as an aviation planning project manager at Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc., where she assisted airports with obtaining funding and executing projects to better their facilities. Prior to that, she served as a Planning Manager for the City of Cleveland Department of Port Control, which oversees the planning and noise sections at Cleveland Hopkins and Burke Lakefront Airports in Cleveland, Ohio.

Barnhart earned her Associate’s degree in Travel and Tourism at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y. and her Bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management and Operations at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. She also has a Master’s degree in Aviation Safety from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo.

Barnhart and her family currently reside in Randolph.

The Jamestown Post-Journal says there are new details being released into the plane crash that occurred last November near the Chautauqua County airport and which took the lives of three people.

 A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board says the pilot of the twin-engine plane – Alan Fuller – reported experiencing snow and “light to moderate” turbulence to air traffic control shortly before contact was lost.

Fuller and his flight instructor had also discussed “weather decisions and avoiding ice” by phone prior to the crash.

Fuller was with two passengers, Valerie Holmes and Linda Edwards, when their lost contact with air traffic control around 5:47 p.m. on Nov. 1. All three were from Warren County, Pennsylvania.

The plane was returning to the Jamestown following a trip to North Carolina.

UDPATE: [11:00 a.m., Monday, Nov. 2]: The names of the deceased occupants are as follows:  Allen Fuller, Valerie Holmes, and Linda Edwards.

UPDATE [10:28 a.m., Monday, Nov. 2]: The wreckage of the small twin engine plane reported missing early Sunday night was located in an area between 380 and Route 60 in the Town of Ellicott this morning. Police and fire units are at the location. No further information will be provided on the passengers until the next of kin have been contacted. There will be a press release later today.

JAMESTOWN – A local search was launched  Sunday night to locate an aircraft that went missing.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office says the County Airport in Jamestown lost contact with a twin engine private plane just after 5:45 p.m. There were three people on board the plane. The pilot, his sister and a family friend. The plane had taken off from North Carolina and its destination was the Jamestown Airport.

Emergency responders were dispatched Sunday night to search the area. There were 13 volunteer fire departments, five police agencies, Chautauqua County Emergency Services and airport personnel involved in the search. There were approximately 135 searchers involved. The search was discontinued at approximately 1 a.m. and resumed at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

The Sheriff’s Department is currently working with the Federal Aviation Administration. Further details will be released as they become available. There will be a media staging at the main terminal of the Jamestown Airport.

• AUDIO ALSO AVAILABLE AT SOUNDCLOUD PAGE

Originally airing Thursday, Sept. 6, 2019.

WRFA’s Jason Sample talks with Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello to get an update on several initiatives that are taking place in the county involving Chautauqua Lake and the Jamestown Airport, as well as preview the 2020 County budget that will be unveiled later this month in Mayville.

George Borrello

B-24 Liberator with P-51 flying “wing man.” (submitted photo)

JAMESTOWN – Chautauqua County’s Jamestown Airport will be hosting four WW II – era military aircraft to the Jamestown airport on Monday, Aug. 12 through Thursday, Aug. 15 for static display, tours and excursion flights.

The arrival of the aircraft is made possible through the Collings Foundation living history museum and educational foundation.
Ground tours of the aircraft are $15 for adults, $5 for children under 12, and WW II veterans are guests of honor.

For a fee, visitors will also have the opportunity to “take a flight into history” aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, P-40 Warhawk or P-51 Mustang.

Rates for flights aboard these aircraft are published on the Collings Foundation’s website: www.collingsfoundation.org/event/jamestown-ny.

The Chautauqua County Airport, just north of Jamestown. (Image via Google)

MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Legislature has approved a resolution that will use tax payer money to subsidize commercial flight operations at the Chautauqua County Airport in Jamestown.

The decision was made Wednesday night and comes as county officials work to get commercial air service to back to the airport. The airport in Jamestown has been without commercial flights since January 2018.

The resolution was approved 16-1, with Frank “Jay” Gould being the only “No” vote.

According to the Post-Journal, the resolution states the county would fund $72,000 in cash and $52,000 through in-kind services as part of the local subsidy. County officials will also be asking the business community to fund $75,000 in cash and $87,000 through in-kind services toward commercial service.

Officials hope the move will help show the U.S. Department of Transportation the county is willing to invest its own money, say they will – in turn – authorize the return of the Essential Air Service subsidy, which would cover the majority of the cost of having a commercial air service operate out of Jamestown.

In order to return federal funding, the DOT would like a 10% local contribution to the nearly $3 million annual subsidy it provides through the EAS for three years.

Also on Wednesday, Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY-23) announced three grants valued at $660,000 to provide the Jamestown Airport with funding to renovate and improve their facilities.

The DOT awards Airport Capital Improvement Program Grants (ACIP) through the Federal Aviation Administration for the planning and development of public-use airports.

A replica of famous Memphis Belle B-17 “Flying Fortress” bomber will be at the Chuatauqua County airport on June 22 and 23. The bomber was also at the airport in 2009. (Image by Jason Sample)

JAMESTOWN – Chautauqua County’s Jamestown Airport is pleased to announce that the National Warplane Museum, based in Geneseo, N.Y., will deploy a WW II –era B-17 “Flying Fortress” bomber and T-6 Texan BT-13 to the Jamestown airport on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23, 2019 for static display, tours and excursion flights.

The public is invited to tour the aircraft on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jamestown Airport, located at 3163 Airport Dr. in Jamestown, N.Y. Tours of the aircraft are $7 for adults. First Responders and veterans are welcome to tour the aircraft for free and family rates are available.

The National Warplane Museum is a not for profit organization and all tour proceeds are used to operate and maintain these rare, old warbirds.

BT-13

For a fee, visitors will also have the opportunity to “take a flight into history” aboard the BT-13 or the B-17 Flying Fortress, the exact aircraft used in filming the movie “Memphis Belle.”

Flights are approximately 30 minutes from engine start up to engine shutdown. Rates for a flight in the BT-13 are $295 and rates for a flight in the B-17 are $650 for a ride in the bombardier, navigator or engineer station, and $450 for a ride in the crew station.

Visitors wishing to pre-purchase tickets for an excursion flight aboard the venerable bomber can do so at the National Warplane Museum’s website.

A complete description of the aircraft and its unique history can be also found on the National Warplane Museum’s website.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

JAMESTOWN – Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) was in Chautauqua County this week to meet with officials, including County Executive George Borrello, to discuss the county airport. In addition, he made time to stop by the YWCA in Jamestown to learn more about the services it provides for the community.

During a regional media conference call on Tuesday, Reed said he met Monday with Borrello and others to further discuss the future of passenger air service at the Chautauqua County Airport in Jamestown.

The airport has been without commercial service since early 2018 when the Department of Transportation pulled its Essential Air Service (EAS) funding for Southwest Airways Express. Since then, county officials and federal representatives have been working to return the funding under a new passenger service plan provided by new air carrier, Boutique Air. However, federal transportation officials denied that request earlier this year. Still, Congressman Reed says the effort isn’t over and a meeting took place Monday to further discuss the matter.

“We were able to meet at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel with George [Borrello], with the airport manager, and with the leaders of the community – the business community in particular – about assessing the support for the need of commercial airline service to the Jamestown airport,” Reed said.

Reed said that those he talked with have shown that there still is a need for passenger air service.

“What I heard from the room is that there is a tremendous amount of support for commercial airline service for the Jamestown airport and one of the things we’re exploring is how do we make that application to the Federal Department of Transportation Federal Department of Transportation under the EAS program that would make commercial airline service to the Jamestown airport viable,” Reed said.

In addition to meeting with officials to discuss the airport, he also stopped by the YWCA in Jamestown to learn more about its programming and services for the greater Jamestown Community.

“It was inspiring to not only be with those caseworkers, not only the department heads and leaders and hear their story and commitment to the needs of the community, but then to round table with teen mothers themselves, for example, to hear first-hand how these programs are benefiting them and how they are arming them in a positive way to take on life’s challenges that they are facing but, most importantly as demonstrated by one of the graduates of the program, are overcoming any sorts of obstacles and are thriving with the situations that they dealt with, “Reed said.

The YWCA offers a variety of programming such as early care and educational; after school programs; summer camp; transitions and supportive housing; supervised visitation; a Women2Women coaching program; the Teenage Education and Motherhood (TEAM) program; and many others.
For more information, visit www.ywcaof jamestown.com.

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello used his annual State of the County report to emphasis a need for continued collaboration within the county.

On Wednesday night Borrello appeared before the Chautauqua County Legislature to update lawmakers on his vision for 2019 while also highlighting accomplishments from 2018, his first year in office.

“There is a positive energy and attitude that can be felt in our communities throughout the county. This past year we started changing our attitude and improving our collective self-confidence and we will continue to raise the bar in 2019 and beyond. 2018 was about communication and now, in 2019, we will take what we learned to enhance collaboration,” Borrello said.

• READ THE FULL STATE OF THE COUNTY TRANSCRIPT

Some of the collaborative efforts Borrello focused on included increasing collaboration and communication in local and regional public safety via the CAER (Countywide Alliance for Enforcement and Rehabilitation) Initiative, getting various communities to work together to improve economic development, identifying and working toward consolidation and shared services efforts between various communities in the county, and improving the connection between the local job market and education institutions to ensure a ready workforce.

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE REMAINS A KEY FOCUS

County executive George Borrello delivers his 2019 State of the County to the Chautauqua County Legislature on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019.

Borrello also spent time focusing on Chautauqua Lake, saying his goal in 2019 is to create a consensus between all stakeholders that will be highlighted in an official memo of understanding and which would be used to help steer funding for lake management.

“Despite the divisiveness we may see among the passionate lake organizations, I’ve found that there is more common ground than it may appear, especially after personally meeting with these groups,
individually, and listening to their concerns. What I saw was a series of puzzle pieces that could make up a strategy to break the gridlock and move us forward,” Borrello noted. “The Consensus Strategy will involve a series of action steps and tenets that will be outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding. We will be asking all of the major stakeholders to sign onto this M.O.U., which will essentially be a ‘ceasefire agreement’ that the lake groups and municipalities would participate in so that we can move forward, together, with an action plan for in-lake weed management while not losing sight of the long-term strategy needed to truly cure the disease that the lake suffers from.”

Following the Legislature Meeting, County Legislature Chair Paul “PJ” Wendel (R-Lakewood) said he was happy to see Borrello further elaborate on his plan for the lake.

“I really commend George…. He used the term ‘cease fire.’ You don’t like to use those terms, it’s a little tough, but on the other hand it’s a great point that everyone needs to bury the hatchet and move forward. They are very passionate people who care about Chautauqua Lake and are involved in its maintenance and survivability, but realistically we have to work together and that collaboration effort is a huge piece,” Wendel said.

GATEWAY CENTER IN RIPLEY

Another major highlight of his report was Borrello’s vision to create a Gateway Center in the town of Ripey on I-90, at the entrance to New York State. He said the center would be patterned after a similar welcome center facility in West Virginia called Tamarack and would be used to highlight all that the region has to offer.

“This will not be a place where you simply stop to use the restroom and get a coupon book or a map. It will be a truly functional and fantastic place that will feature the best of what Western New York and the Southern Tier has to offer,” Borrello noted. “From local artisans showing and selling their wares to a place where many of our region’s agricultural and manufacturing are not only represented but will have their products available for sale. It will be a place where our prospering beer, wine and spirits businesses can feature their brands and encourage people to explore our breweries, wineries and other unique food and beverage options. This Gateway Center will be a place where the history and natural beauty of our county and region is highlighted for those who have never experienced all there is to do and see in the beautifully unparalleled place that we call home.”

Borrello also cautioned that it will take time to develop a plan for the gateway and it’s not something that will be created overnight, but also said he hopes that it can be something that would be completed within the next 5 years. The county IDA just hired the consulting firm Clark Patterson Lee to produce a feasibility study for the gateway study.

COUNTY AIRPORT NOT MENTIONED

One of the items that was omitted from Borrello’s State of the County was the Chautauqua County Airport in Jamestown, which took a hit earlier this year with the announcement it wouldn’t be granted federal funding to help subsidize commercial passenger service.

Borrello told WRFA that while he omitted the airport from his state of the county, it’s still something that remains on his radar.

“The Department of Transportation gave us some good feedback. We’re now working with Boutique to modify the application and resubmit it. So there wasn’t much information to give tonight but I think soon we will be able to resubmit a modified application and return commercial service to the Jamestown airport,” Borrello said.

The county airport has been without passenger service since January 2018. Since then the county has partnered with air service provider Boutique Air to put a plan together for commercial service but it hasn’t been enough to bring back the necessary federal subsidies.

The Chautauqua County Airport, just north of Jamestown. (Image via Google)

WASHINGTON – The federal government has denied an application seeking federal funding to help subsidize commercial air service at the Chautauqua County airport in Jamestown.

County officials say the county and the city of Jamestown were notified on Friday by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that the joint proposal by Boutique Air and Chautauqua County to re-establish commercial air service between Jamestown and Pittsburgh was not approved for Essential Air Service (EAS) funding.

In justification of the decision, DOT officials cited the underwhelming performance record of commercial air carriers to the Airport in recent years and the availability of commercial air service alternatives at public airports in Buffalo, N.Y. and Erie, PA.

In its order rejecting the proposed route between Jamestown and Pittsburgh International Airport, the Department of Transportation did not foreclose other commercial air service options and expressly left the docket open for future action.

According to a release from County executive George Borrello’s office, county and city leaders are actively engaged in dialogue with airline and commercial aviation advocacy groups to consider alternate approaches and other options for restoration of passenger service to the Jamestown regional airport.

Congressman Tom Reed also held a phone call with EAS program officials about a new, revised application being submitted as soon as possible.

In January 2018 it was announced that commercial air service would be leaving Jamestown but by the Spring of last year, a new air service provider – Boutique Air based out of San Francisco, announced it would be working to serve the area if EAS funding could be made available. According to county officials, Boutique remains committed to the effort of developing routes that are economically viable under the EAS program and has signaled its intention to redouble its efforts.