Seldovia Station – One Man Shop!
Taken from the State of Alaska DOT publication, “Plane Talk”
George Oliveira says: “This job has been a good career choice – it is both challenging and rewarding. I love serving the public and all the things I get to do for the DOT & PF.”
Seldovia is one of the oldest communities on the Kenai Peninsula. And, as is the case with many towns in Alaska, it’s off the road system, relying on air service, passenger ferries, and the Alaska Marine Highway for access. The Alaska DOT&PF has 79 maintenance facilities across the state responsible for all maintenance and operation activities to keep our highways, bridges, airports, buildings, and harbors in good condition and safe for the traveling public. Only one of these facilities is a year-round one man shop and that’s the Seldovia Station.
This station has been managed solely by George Oliveira for the last 24 years. George is responsible for both the airport and state maintained roads in the Seldovia area. Some of his duties include blading, snowplowing, brush cutting, sign repair, dust control, inspect, clean, and replace culverts, clean ditches, springtime sweeping of the paved streets in town, screening gravel for both road/airport resurfacing projects and winter sand, and maintaining and issuing appropriate NOTAM’s for the airport. Along with that he is also responsible for the everyday maintenance of the shop and equipment, including all necessary safety inspections and training. George is the first responder to all work related emergency situations such as storms, fallen trees, mud and landslides, and roadway/airport flooding.
Kevin Jones, Homer Airport Manager says, “George does it all! Over the years he has been a pleasure to work with and in my opinion his service to the Seldovia community has been outstanding. With him being the only employee stationed there, any time day or night, weekend or holiday, when an emergency arises or the weather doesn’t cooperate, George is there assessing the problem, planning a solution, and putting it into action.”
Kerry Long, FAA Alaska Administrator, visited Seldovia last summer. He said, “It’s amazing to find someone like George who is able to run the Seldovia Airport maintenance operations single handedly. In listening to him explain everything he does, from mining and crushing rock for the runway surfaces to maintaining, repairing, and operating the heavy equipment, one quickly realizes that the extensive skills, experience, and responsibilities George has, are few and far between. The City of Seldovia and surrounding communities are very lucky to have him keeping their limited road system and airport lifeline operational and in top condition year round.”
Category: Community
Seldovia Time
