Last-Minute Changes In The Lease Make Officials 'Uncomfortable'

Baldwin County Public Schools in Alabama had planned to open an aviation training center at Fairhope Airport on the state's gulf coast. But those plans have been placed on hold after lease documents were changed, making county education officials "uncomfortable."

School district financial officer John Wilson told the Baldwin (AL) Times that he thought the issues could be worked out "in a few days," but that he could not support going forward until the changes are addressed.

The center would be a collaboration between the Baldwin County Public Schools, Faulkner State and Enterprise community colleges, and private industry to provide training in aircraft maintenance. High school students would train there during the day, with the adult education courses being taught by the community colleges during the evenings.

One of the sticking points is a provision for shelter for students in the event of severe weather that school officials were not sure had been addressed. Another was an unexplained $100,000 increase in the project's cost, bringing it up to $2.7 million.

School officials said they still hope to have the facility ready for students returning to school in the fall, and say that the presence of an Airbus assembly facility in nearby Mobile will be a major boost for the program.

FMI: www.bcbe.org