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WILLIAMSTOWN -- The Transportation Security Administration is enforcing a new mask mandate at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport.
Airport Manager Glen Kelly was informed of the change Monday evening which involves everyone on airport property wearing a mask at all times and in-between bites and sips while eating or drinking.
"This is a giant expansion. They can hold me directly responsible. If they fail to do so, I'm supposed to call law enforcement and do an incident report," Kelly said.
TSA is enforcing the new protocol in support of President Joe Biden's federal mask mandate by executive order. The mandate extends not only to the TSA areas of the airport, but the entire property including privately rented hangers.
"I'm surprised that this went from just to TSA-controlled areas to encompass the whole airport," Kelly said.
With the upcoming projects, Kelly said the airport will have to ask for additional funding to provide the supervision of the contractors to make sure they comply with the mandate.
During Tuesday's Wood County Airport Authority meeting, Kelly talked about the potential increase in minimum wage to $15. He expressed his concern and how it would affect the airport.
"At this going rate, that's not something we could do," he said. "It would cost us about another $40,000 a year."