SALISBURY, Md.- A legal battle is brewing at Salisbury Regional Airport and it all boils down to fuel tanks.
For over 30 years, Bay Land Aviation's owner, Patrick Nelms, says the company has provided fuel to 90 percent of commercial aircrafts at the airport.
But Wicomico County executives who oversee the airport are looking to terminate Nelms' lease agreement.
This would prevent Bay Land Aviation from conducting their fuel operations, providing flight classes in coordination with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and more.
But Nelms, along with legal documents obtained by WBOC, says the agreement is not set to end until 2025 and that "the plaintiff is in full compliance with the terms and provisions of the lease and its amendments."
"They have said that our fuel tanks are beyond their useful life, and they have to be removed. We have offered to remove them and put new tanks in," Nelms said.
However, Nelms claims the fuel tanks have passed inspection, he regularly inspects them himself, and says proof of that is cited in legal documents that will now be looked over by the court.
According to Bay Land Aviation, Wicomico County officials are not budging, and have sent multiple documents looking to end the contract, as well their wanting to purchase Bay Land's underground fuel facilities without their consent.
"I employ 13 individuals and if the county is able to succeed in the direction they want to go, 11 of those individuals will probably be terminated," Nelms said.
No county officials who oversee the airport were able to comment on the matter, though Bay Land's legal representation says the county has been served.
