SCOTTSBLUFF — At the Western Nebraska Regional Airport, everything — from the paint on the walls to the shoveled tarmac — is taken care of by just nine people.
Gilbert Mendoza has been working at the airport for 36 years. He makes sure the 40,000 square feet of facilities are clean and assists with whatever else needs to be done.
Clarence Rotherham loves to work outside. In the winter, you will see him removing snow. In the summer, he’s mowing and performing maintenance in and around the airport buildings.
Kirk Schuessler has worked other maintenance jobs in town, but a huge smile comes across his face when he’s asked why he decided to work at the airport.
‘There are big trucks and airplanes here,” Schuessler said. “Who wouldn’t want to work here?”
Fred Wood said he does whatever he is asked to do.
“I trust they (Skelton and Aguallo) know what needs to be done and I do it,” Wood said.
Snow removal is Wood’s favorite task. It is a big task for everyone. Once snow removal begins, the entire process takes a minimum of seven hours so the runways are open and cleared.
The time-consuming process that begins near the airport buildings has to end up on the other side of the taxiway. It needs to be moved at least three times as the snow is plowed across the taxiway.
“It’s moved so many times, we’ll touch that snow sometimes a dozen times before it gets where it needs to be,” said Raul Aguallo, operations supervisor.
The runways and taxiway must be completely clear and cannot be plowed like the streets of Scottsbluff. There, bits of snow remain on the road. Cars come along and smash everything down, wearing the snow away over the course of a day or two.
“We have to push it (snow) to the (runway) lights and over them,” Aguallo said. “If we bury the lights, we have to dig them out, too.”
Inside the fencing, there are 500 acres of surface area that must be plowed. Rotherham, who came to work at the airport after retiring from the city of Scottsbluff, said he will start work about two or three in the morning whenever there is snow.
Airport staff never do things the same way every day. They get to mix it up so their jobs are not monotonous.
“We all have our skill sets we are good at,” said Walt Fraedrich, Jr., “I love the job and the big trucks.”
Though each member of staff comes from a different background, they treat each other like family, including kidding around.
“Walt gets more than most,” Aguallo said.
Skelton and Aguallo are quick to point out they have also had their share of mishaps and are subjected to good-natured ribbing.
But when it comes to work, they fall into place like a well-oiled machine. When a plow recently broke, several staff members fixed it while Aguallo came in on a Saturday to help plow, making sure the job got done.
Fraedrich and Mendoza agreed you couldn’t ask for better bosses. Aguallo has been at the airport for 15 years.
“The reason he (Skelton) hired me is to keep the airport in compliance,” Aguallo said. “I take care of all the training and the annual stuff that has to happen in order to get an operating certificate.”
Aguallo also manages schedules and makes arrangements for things to get fixed.
“When something breaks or Walt breaks something, I have to get it fixed,” Aguallo said.
Aguallo likes to plan things out, but his boss, Skelton, doesn’t always work that way.
“I just tell my guys, ‘Do what I tell you to do and if Darwin says do something, do that,” Aguallo said.
Cheryl Clause has been tackling regulations for nearly 12 years. She keeps in touch with the FAA, TSA, DOT and a host of other state and federal agencies to make sure everyone else at the airport has the most up-to-date information.
“I have never met anyone as efficient as Cheryl,” Aguallo said.
She is comfortable with the job, but there is always something new to learn. She may be sitting at her desk one moment dealing with the FAA and taking care of financial paperwork the next. Clause has to process all the paperwork with each project to account for funds and reimbursements.
“One thing about Cheryl is she is extremely good with the books,” Skelton said.
Clause is also teaching Lindsey Ferguson, who started four months ago, to be her “right hand man.” She’s been assisting Clause and taken on the marketing for the airport.
“She has become the voice of the airport,” Aguallo said.
When Ferguson says she feels part of the family, it’s not just words. She recently needed to take some emergency time off. Everyone told her she needed to go and then asked what they could do to help her.
Of all the tasks at the airport, Skelton said his job is the easiest because he doesn’t do anything.
“They have all the runways and work around the airport. Rauel takes care of compliance. I don’t have to do anything,” he said.
The staff disagrees. Skelton understands each of their jobs. He worked his way up to his position, so he knows what they do and can help if necessary. Aguallo points to the administrative tasks Skelton performs. It’s not a short list.
Versatility is a big part of Skelton’s job. He is always thinking of several things at once, how they connect to each other and how something may be good for the airport.
“I don’t want to think about just tomorrow,” Skelton said. “I want to think about 10 years (from now) and how do we get there from here.”
That kind of progressive thinking has allowed everyone to be in front of any issues instead of reacting to them. There are little issues that pop up from time to time, but they generally don’t have “giant fires.”
For everyone on staff at the airport, it’s all about the airport and what is best for the airport. They’ll be out there tomorrow and the day after that. It’s what they love to do and it’s how they roll.
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