GRAND OPENING … Williams County Airport Assistant Manager Brent Wilson with a Citation CJ2+ in the new facility. (PHOTO BY ANNA WOZNIAK)
By: Anna Wozniak
When the pandemic began, Williams County was affronted by the fact that it had no emergency management agency center.
When Williams County Commissioners brought up the issue of needing more corporate aircraft storage space for the good of Williams County commerce, Brent Wilson and his team took that lucrative opportunity and paired it with Williams County’s need for an emergency center.
Taking note from airports in the Columbus area, they decided to make the necessary emergency center serve a dual purpose -one that brings revenue into Williams County- setting up what would be the OG6 Aircraft Storage Hanger Building & EMA Facility that saw its grand opening on March 29.
By leasing out the space when not in use as an emergency center, the new facility serves as evidence to the FAA that the 1.8 million dollars they have granted since 2006 has gone towards initiatives to bring in more consumer traffic.
Wilson reports that there are already companies looking into using the facility, and thanks the community for their support in supplying furnishings and equipment via donations.
At the time of this project’s inception, the Airport Authority Board consisted of President David Newcomer, Vice-President Brent Wilson, Kirk Vashaw, Burton Blalock, Aaron Herman, Dan Eshman, Scott Wyse, and Steve Fortner.
Brent Wilson also wanted to thank their sponsors, who are as follows: Andres-O’Neal & Lowe; BJ Wilson Enterprises, LLC; Dan Schiebel-Proflite, Inc.; DW Farrell; Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales; Midwest Community Federal Credit Union; Midwest Pipe “in memory of Marvin Thiel;” Saneholtz-McKarns, Inc.; Spangler Candy Co.; The State Bank; YNOT Air, LLC – 20/20 Custom Molded Plastics.
Construction was completed by Thiel Construction Co., Inc. and engineering was completed by Bell Engineering Ltd.
Anna can be reached at anna@thevillagereporter.com