Alamosa County resurrects airport advisory board

ALAMOSA — After being grounded for nine months, the San Luis Valley Regional Airport Board takes off again.

Alamosa County Commissioners approved the creation of the new advisory board with Anna Torello, Donna Wehe, Jed Ellithorpe, Michael Rohr and Randy Wright as members during their Wednesday meeting.

Anna Torello, a project specialist for Title V at Adams State University who has aviation experience, San Luis Valley Health PR Director Donna Wehe and Alamosa Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Randy Wright will each serve three-year terms.

Jed Ellithorpe, a pilot from Center, and Michael Rohr, who has experience with Stapleton International Airport and Lakewood's planning commission but now is retired in the Sangre De Cristo Ranches, will serve two-year terms.

The board will meet the second Thursday of every other month at 9 a.m. in the county administration building. The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 9.

The county commissioners will finalize all decisions made by the board since the board acts strictly in an advisory capacity.

Additionally, the commissioners heard presentations of qualifications from two different engineering firms to work on future capital improvement projects at the airport. Seattle-based DOWL and Denver-based Jviation, which recently completed the new runway under budget, each made their case on why they should be selected to resurface the airport's taxiway and construct a wildlife fence. Project costs and fees were not discussed.

A decision on the firms will likely be made at the next commissioners’ meeting on Nov. 15.