Many years ago we had the chance to have the ditch at the east end of the runway work done for free. All the person, who owned and operated the heavy equipment company wanted, was one year’s free membership to the club. He would pay all his bills for flying, etc.
The current board at that time, in their infinite wisdom turned him down. The reason? They said that it should be free because if he became a member of the club, it should be considered a donation. He never came back after that, and I did not blame him.
Speaking about the ditch there, just filling it in without a fairly large section of metal drainage material would invite a possible major flooding situation. Believe me, I know from experience, seeing past flooding from the field just to the south east of there. It becomes a torrent of water.
Sorry, I was grounds chairman for a number of years, and know the SSI land well, and am babbling on.