Airport authority elects officers

LAKEWOOD - The Lakewood Town-ship Airport Authority (LTAA) met recently for its annual reorganization meeting.

The authority approved the meeting schedule for 2007 and elected the following officers: Richard T. Orne, chairman; Mitchel E. Dolobowsky, vice chair; Samuel Flancbaum, treasurer; Mark A. Seigel, secretary, and Glen H. Harrison, assistant secretary. Other members are Michael Sernotti and Simcha Shain.

Bertram Alpert was reappointed as the LTAA executive director and the airport manager.

At the meeting, Orne announced that the LTAA has received a grant of $343,623 from the Federal Aviation Administration to continue the construction of a perimeter fence around the airport property. Bids are now being accepted for construction this summer.

Orne also announced that the state Department of Transportation will install a ground communication system so that pilots can access weather and traffic from McGuire Air Force Base while still on the ground.

He also announced that the airport is being considered for several additional grants such as continuing the obstruction removal, taxi lane and access road development for the proposed "T" hangar development and a drainage study to facilitate the construction of the commercial area. These grant applications amount to approximately $1 million.

The almost $1 million reconstruction of the ramp/apron area has been completed and floodlights have been installed in the parking area, according to a press release.