ALPENA — A local retired airport manager offered her services to Hillman Airport during Tuesday’s Hillman Village Council meeting.

Liz Myer, who received her airport manager license from the state in 1986, has managed multiple airports during her career. Myer offered to help current Airport Manager Mark Mellingen in the airport’s ongoing effort to meet state regulations regarding the runway’s approach.

Currently Hillman Airport is working under a provisional airport license from the state due to trees decreasing viewability of the approach. There also is separate issues of cracked asphalt on the runway which could become a liability for the airport.

“Through the State of Michigan there is funding available for capital improvement programs,” she said.

The funding through the state is available to airports that have not previously received funding through the program, meaning Hillman Airport would be eligible for the funding.

Different approaches have been taken in past months including reaching out to both the north and south side property owners as well as cutting trees located inside the village’s easement.

Village President Myron McIntire said the airport has three options to solve the problem. It can lease the air space at the north and south side, outright buy the property or could close the airport.

One of the suggested routes to make sure the runway’s approach becomes compliant with state regulations was to move the north side’s threshold roughly 500 feet north, which would take care of the south side tree problem.

Myers said she recommended getting the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Office of Aeronautics involved, which would remove liability from the village for any work performed.

As long as action was being taken at the airport, the state was willing to extend the provisional airport license, Myers said.

In other business:

* the village approved paying bills in the sum of $16,780.14.

* Hillman Fire Chief Jim Thompson said the department was interested in transferring its communications equipment from the village’s water tower to the newly purchased Hillman Community Schools’ radio tower to improve the department’s communications.

* the Free Methodist Church withdrew its request to reserve the entire Emerick Park for June 17-22.

Tyler Winowiecki can be reached via email at twinowiecki@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688. Follow Tyler on Twitter tw_alpenanews.