Sandusky Co airport deal close - Fremont News Messenger

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Sandusky Co airport deal close - Fremont News Messenger

FREMONT -- County officials are close to reaching an agreement to buy the buildings and fuel farm at the Sandusky County Regional Airport from the private company that owns them, a commissioner said.

Advanced Air, which ran a charter service at the facility, owns the buildings and served as the airport's manager until it withdrew from its contract with the airport board in 2009. For months, the commissioners and airport board officials have been discussing buying the buildings and fuel farm, and the airport authority is searching for a full-time manager to run the facility.

The purchase would allow the Sandusky County Regional Airport Authority, the airport's governing body, to have more control over how the airport is run and reopen fuel sales there. The fuel farm has been closed for more than a month, forcing customers to fill up elsewhere.

"We're still in negotiations," Commissioner Matt Damschroder said. "We have somewhat of an agreement in place."

They're working out the details and wording of the agreement, he said. He declined to give specifics because negotiations are ongoing.

Advanced Air owner Tom Kern was not available for comment.

Advanced Air stopped managing the airport because it could no longer afford to do the job, said Bruce Schrader, airport authority president, and Dave Wadsworth, interim airport manager, last summer. Since then, the airport board members have taken over operations.

The fuel farm had remained open until Jan. 4.

"They've just kind of said they can't make it work anymore and shut things down from their end," Damschroder said.

Since the airport stopped selling fuel, Schrader said he has received some complaints.

"All I can say is I'm sorry," he said. "We're doing the best we can."

A LifeFlight medical helicopter is stationed at the airport, and the Ohio Highway Patrol has a plane there.

Schrader does not know where those


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