Hopeful for a new “hire” in a couple of weeks

Oconee County is without a full-time airport director during one of the airport’s busiest times of the year.  But the chairman of the aeronautics commission is hopeful the situation will be remedied soon.  Sam Carver held the job for only a few months before he resigned.  In the interim the county has temporarily brought back the retired Kevin Short, but Short’s days are numbered due to a penalty he’ll incur if he works too many days in conflict with his retirement benefits.  At last evening’s meeting of the aeronautics commission, Chairman Randy Renz announced, “We have interviewed one candidate. We have two candidates we will interview over the next week, and hopefully from the three of those we can select a new director.”  During college football season, weekend are often hectic when the Clemson Tigers play at home.  Though last Saturday’s game with Wofford wasn’t considered a big weekend for the airport, busy weeks are ahead—including the Notre Dame weekend next month.  According to commissioner Eddie Perry, when the Fightin’ Irish invade Death Valley October 3 the airport can expect “bodies stacked up everywhere”—a reference to the number of planes, pilots, and passengers that the small airport will have to accommodate.