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ILLINOIS VALLEY Concerns raised about possible Erickson deal Comment By Eder Campuzano Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Eder Campuzano Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Dec. 2, 2015 at 4:48 PM By Eder Campuzano Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Dec. 2, 2015 at 4:48 PM » Social News As Erickson Inc., the largest operator of heavy-lift helicopters in the country, weighs whether to lease land at the Illinois Valley Airport, dozens of residents attended a public meeting in Cave Junction Monday to voice concerns about noise and cash. Cherryl Walker, who was there, briefed fellow Josephine County Commissioners Simon Hare and Keith Heck during a Tuesday meeting. Erickson, formerly known as Erickson Air-Crane, wants to lease 1.5 acres of county land at the IV airport for helicopter training. The company would build a helipad on the land, which the county would own after the lease expires. Training would be limited to 150 hours during the winter season, likely one four-hour session a week, county officials say. Using the company's huge Sikorsky S-64 air-cranes, pilots train by picking up containers, mock-ups of air-conditioning units and wind-turbine components, using a long cable. According to Walker, a few concerns related to the potential Erickson deal made reference to suspended plans by Manor Communities Development to develop aeronautical testing facilities at the IV airport for the emerging recreational drone industry. Nearly a year ago, commissioners signed a 30-year agreement with Manor that was touted as a solution to the area's financial woes. The deal would supposedly have created 200 jobs in Cave Junction and $5.5 million in revenue for the county through 2045. That deal ultimately fell through when Manor failed to pay rent on the 70-acre parcel. Walker said residual hostility from the failed project fueled much of the furor over the proposed Erickson deal. One of the more prominent rumors Walker wanted to dispel was the belief that the Erickson proposal is a done deal. "We don't have a contract," she said. "It's still in the fact-finding stage." Walker told her colleagues that some critics at the meeting accused the county of signing a contract without community input. Similar complaints cropped up during the Manor proceedings. Walker denied the accusation, and in fact at least two published board agendas last year — Nov. 6 and Nov. 12 — included the Manor deal as a topic of discussion. The Daily Courier also reported on the deal prior to its acceptance. Those at Tuesday's meeting were also baffled by the Erickson proposal's $8,500 price tag when the Manor lease was much more, Walker reported. "Because we have a fee structure and we only charge per square foot," she explained. Hare pointed out there's no guarantee Erickson couldn't use the land regardless of whether there was a signed contract. "We don't have 100 percent discretion on telling Erickson," he said. "This is a public airport. They can restructure it so that we're not going to be getting revenue from it because they're not leasing anything." That's a worst-case scenario, the commissioners said — there wasn't any serious concern about Erickson using the airport for training against the wishes of the county. Reach reporter Eder Campuzano at 541-474-3722 or [email protected] By Eder Campuzano Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Eder Campuzano Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Dec. 2, 2015 at 4:48 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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