QUEENSBURY — The owner of property that Warren County took through eminent domain for its now-abandoned airport runway expansion is seeking another $270,000 beyond what an appeals court awarded him in an April decision.

Enterprises Management Inc., which is headed by Victor Macri, won a judgment in a state appeals court in April to receive an additional $193,000 for 3.86 acres of his land the county took and “avigation” rights to be able to fly over nearly 81 acres of property between the airport and Quaker Road.

The additional land was going to be part of the county’s controversial project to extend the main airport runway by 1,000 feet. The Federal Aviation Administration announced in May 2019 that it was abandoning the project. The county had paid $327,000 for the land. A lower court ruling set the value at $297,000 — less than what the county paid — and Macri appealed.

Public Works Commissioner Kevin Hajos said there is a section of eminent domain law that allows the people whose property was taken to recoup all their fees for attorneys, appraisals and interest. Forest Enterprises Management sent a letter providing a figure of $270,000.

Hajos said he and airport manager Don DeGraw have reached out to the FAA to see if those additional costs could be reimbursed.

Hajos was seeking guidance from the supervisors about whether the county should fight this in court or attempt to negotiate.

Queensbury at-Large Supervisor Doug Beaty, who was a vocal opponent of the runway project, said at the meeting that the county put the cart before the horse by taking Macri’s land by eminent domain even before the FAA had authorized the extension of the runway.

“It was a very bad move by the county and ill-advised to say the least,” he said.

Beaty, chairman of the county Facilities Committee, said the county could be out another nearly half-million dollars because of what he deemed a “screw-up.”

“It galls me that we make these decisions, but this is where we are,” he said.

The committee decided to go into executive session to discuss the issue in a split vote. Bolton Supervisor Ronald Conover, Glens Falls 4th Ward Supervisor Dan Bruno, Queensbury at-Large Supervisor Brad Magowan and Johnsburg Supervisor Andrea Hogan voted in favor. Queensbury at-Large Supervisor Rachel Seeber, Glens Falls 1st Ward Supervisor Jack Diamond and Beaty voted in opposition.

After a half-hour of deliberations, the committee took no action when it came back into public session.

Reach Michael Goot at 518-742-3320 or [email protected] and follow his blog poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/.

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