County awards $250,000 for New River aviation school

Josephine Moore, The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
·3 min read

Sep. 5—New River Community and Technical College President Bonny Copenhaver said the school still needs to raise $3 million to get its new aviation mechanics program off the ground.

Aiding in this program, which Copenhaver said should be open to students by the fall of 2024, is the Raleigh County Commission.

During a regular commission meeting on Tuesday, commissioners awarded a $250,000 grant to New River for its aviation school.

Training for the program will take place at the Raleigh County Memorial Airport, where site development is already underway for a 105-acre industrial park.

During a groundbreaking ceremony in August, New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) Executive Director Jina Belcher said the 105-acre site has the potential to house up to six companies, depending on their size, and create 638 jobs.

Raleigh County Commission Greg Duckworth said he believes the school would be vital to the growth of the airport and the companies looking to locate there.

The grant for the airport will come from the commission's reserve of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Raleigh County Commissioner Dave Tolliver said he sees a great deal of potential in the aviation school.

"The aviation school, once it gets started, it's going to be high paying jobs and it's going to be many jobs that will produce big hourly wages to the county and the employees," Tolliver said.

Copenhaver said New River has been working in partnership with NRGRDA and the airport for the past three years on the new aviation school.

She added that, to date, New River has allocated $1.4 million to the new program.

"We have purchased two planes already and several pieces of equipment so we will continue to use this money to purchase equipment for the program," Copenhaver said.

Other agencies that have contributed to the aviation program include the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College System, the American Electric Power Foundation, the federal government and other investors.

Copenhaver said they are also preparing for a visit from the Federal Aviation Administration, which must approve the program.

Other items approved Tuesday by the Raleigh County Commission include:

—A bid from Childers Enterprises Inc. for $88,248 for a heating system in the Raleigh County Courthouse. The county has received a grant from the state's Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority which will pay for most of the project, but it requires a 20 percent match from the county.

—The scheduling of a public hearing for four properties deemed unsafe by the Raleigh County Property Safety Enforcement Agency. Those properties are 432 Bailey Ave., Beckley, owned by Cody Lee Ellison; 139 Hankwood Drive, Beckley, owned by Darla Fritz; 409 Burmeister Ave., Raleigh, owned by Billie Jo Ann Summerville, AKA Billie Jo Ann Green; and 435 Bailey Ave., Beckley, owned by William Pugh II. The public hearing to address the conditions at these properties will take place during the next commission meeting on Sept. 19.

—The hiring of three new employees. Kimberly Honaker was hired as a tax deputy to work in the Raleigh County Sheriff's Tax Department. Scott Dobson and Jacob Eller were hired as deputies for the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department Law Enforcement Division.

—Approval of the Airport Broadband Agreement with Gigabeam Networks.

Email: jmoore@register-herald.com