Your Local News and More to Keep You Informed

The People News  -  Home  -  Cleveland Bradley Business  -  Archives



Tasso Resident Claims Disrespect from Airport Construction Workers
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, July 19, 2010

The Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority held their regular monthly meeting on Friday, July 16, 2010. During this meeting the CMAA received updates about the various activities that were taking place around the new airport site.

Ron Fitzgerald with PDC Consultants gave a brief update on Phase I of construction. The Tasso Road relocation project is moving closer to completion. Earthwork has been finished. In a matter of weeks, the new road should be ready for use, while the old road will be shut down permanently.

The waterline for the waterline relocation project is complete. PDC was waiting for the final testing to finished on the new waterline. Once that has been completed, the old waterline will be decommissioned and the new one will be in service.

An appeal hearing was finally held for the SWPP (Storm Water Prevention Plan) that is needed for the airport construction to continue. After listening to various testimonies, it was decided that the SWPP would be upheld.

Chairwoman Lynn DeVault went before the Aeronautics Commission in Nashville earlier this month to request funding. DeVault asked for $8.2 million that would be used for Phase II of construction. No problems arose in obtaining those funds.

Tommy Myers, Director of Public Works, gave an update on the mitigation process that is taking place on the site of an old golf course off of Candies Lane in Cleveland. Currently, two greens have been removed. As of this meeting, the public works department was in the process of removing a third green. Myers stated that one tee will be left to remove and a few more projects need to be completed before the mitigation site really starts taking shape.

Tasso Lane resident Ashley McAlister came to speak for herself and on behalf of her husband Daniel McAlister about many inconveniences and intrusions upon her property. McAlister stated that construction workers, surveyors, etc. are on her property and in her driveway at all hours of the day. "It's a big, big problem," stated McAlister. She has repeatedly asked, and told, the various workers to get off her property, but stated that everyone seems to think the CMAA owns her and her husband's property; "Which you don't," she reaffirmed to the members of the airport authority.

McAlister continued by saying there were also issues with dust and noise. The family just had their home pressure washed in April of this year, but it's already "covered in dirt and grime." She believes the CMAA should pay to have her home cleaned again.

"We have never complained and we have never said anything. But, we didn't think we would be treated like this either," McAlister stated firmly.

She just wishes for the workers to stay off of her land, she wants her home washed and asked the CMAA and all of those affiliated with the new airport to respect her private property and those who live there.

Due to Lynn DeVault's absence, Mike McCoy was acting Chair. McCoy apologized to McAlister on behalf of the City and CMAA. He then referred her to PDC Consultants' Mark Paslick in order to resolve these issues that were brought up. McCoy assured McAlister that her concerns would definitely be pursued.

The Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority will meet again on August 27th, instead of August 20th, due to a scheduling conflict. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. in the Council Room of the Cleveland Municipal Building.