Airport clearing project to include 20 acres

A Hillman contractor will clear more than 20 acres of land near the Presque Isle County Airport in Rogers City, after Allan Bruder, chairman of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners and the county clerk, signed a contract August 9. The Michigan Department of Transportation Bureau of Aeronautics awarded the contract to Cordes Excavating Inc., with the cost to clear the 20.26 acres of land west of County Road 451 at $26,260. While there were only a handful of trees exceeding the state height requirements for the runway approach, it was decided to remove all the trees from the property to prevent future expenses to the county.

DISTRICT 1 COMMISSIONER Bob Schell, who serves on the county airport committee, said the county?s share for renovating the airport in Rogers City, which included the extension of the runway in 2003, is about two-and-a-half percent. When more trees grow above the h

eight restrictions on the parcel, the county?s cost would be 100 percent, he said, so the decision was made to take advantage of the state and federal funding now. The affected area will be more than double the nine acres of road commission property clear-cut between US-23 and County 451 a few years ago. That clearing project included seeding and stump removal. For this 20 acres, Schell said Cordes would cut the trees to their lowest point so their equipment can move through the parcel. The contract does not include seeding, he said. Cordes Excavating was to begin work within 10 days of the signing of the contract.

THE PROJECT has been delayed because of legal proceedings with the owner of the property, Presque Isle Investments of Walled Lake. The two sides are disputing the value of the easement. In April, a scheduling order had been stipulated between the two sides, and once the county released $57,200 that had been held in escrow, the county could take possession of the easement and keep the height restrictions in place. The county appraised the property three years ago. PI Investments contended that the offer from the county was not of fair market value. According to Gerald R. Gray, the attorney hired by the county to handle the litigation, the matter is to be heard by a mediator, possibly as soon as next month. The money was released from escrow by the county, so the project could move forward. Per the terms of the contract, once started, Cordes has 45 days to finish the project.