Airport fence critical element of security

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Airport fence critical element of security

We are pleased to provide details about the security fence project at the Schenectady County Airport discussed in the Sept. 17 Daily Gazette’s editorial, “Is the Schenectady County Airport fence worth $427,500?”

Schenectady County has been successful in applying for and receiving grant funding to continue to improve the airport. These grants are very competitive and we are very proud that we have been able to secure this funding with the assistance of Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Paul Tonko.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) specifications require all steel posts, panel construction, high-strength steel mesh and barbed wire on top. The new fence will run for 5,200 linear feet (nearly one mile) and the fence will be 12 feet in length, including four feet underground to meet FAA requirements.

The project also includes a major upgrade to an additional 5,000 linear feet of existing fencing and tree clearance along the entire 10,200 feet of fence line. As a result, almost two miles of fencing will be built and improved as a result of this project. There are also several large metal gates that will be installed.

Finally, after this project is bid competitively, the winning contractor must comply with strict safeguards required for working at an active airport and military base.

The Schenectady County Airport is home to an active military base, a busy commercial airport, a growing business park, and a major military training facility for guard and reserve forces. The county is constantly striving to improve the airport. Safety and security must be our top priority at the airport. The fence project is a critical piece of our safety protocols.

Joseph Ryan

Schenectady

The writer is airport commissioner and director of Public Works for Schenectady County.

Shame on GOP brass for not backing Trump

If Trump did what Clinton did with her emails, he would have been put in jail, as would anyone else. As far as the GOP leaders are concerned, I think they are a bunch of idiots for not backing Trump. They are more afraid of losing their cushy jobs than doing the right thing. I will not vote for the cowards.

To you candidates who don’t stand up for him, shame on you. You’re not worthy of my vote, your job or the money you’re getting. The problem with Trump is that he tells it like it is. What is Obama and his administration doing to help the homeless people through no fault of their own (fire and flood victims) in the United States?

It seems he is more worried about Hillary than the rest of the world. At least Trump did some good helping the people in Alabama. We are taking in thousands before taking care of our own. It seems golfing is more important. It looks like pleasure before business.

James Maxfield

Scotia

Tebow’s two-sport dream is unrealistic

As a dual sport athlete at Duanesburg High School, I have no problem with what Tim Tebow is trying to do. Playing sports can be a rewarding experience, especially at the professional level (cha-ching).

When you have a mediocre NFL quarterback with extreme work ethic and a “dream to play baseball,” he just might make it into the MLB instructional league. Now I’m sure that Tebow is aspiring to be a Bo Jackson, but he may not even get to be a Michael Jordan (in the world of two-sport athletes at least) and we all know His Airness was at least the best in one of his sports.

The same cannot be said for Tebow. My advice to Tim would be that some dreams are unrealistic, and just because you throw a football well (some might question that, too) doesn’t mean you can throw a baseball well.

Patrick Powers

Duanesburg

Letters

Letters of about 200-300 words in length are suggested.

The deadline for election-related letters is Tuesday, Oct. 25.

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Categories: Letters to the Editor