Consulting engineer Dan Clinton told commissioners last Thursday that they should start looking for ways to pay for a new master plan for the airport. The airport may have to find $20,000 to $30,000, although grants will eventually repay the money. Clinton explained that the commission often lands in this position in executing grants, although the delay before repayment will be longer in this case.
He shared a drawing to convert an awning hangar into an eight-bay enclosed hangar, saying it may be possible to cut holes in the existing slab for foundations, or an architect may decide to cut a trench through the length of the building to pour a beam. In either case, keeping the existing slab will be cheaper than removing it and starting over.
The project will cost an estimated $460,000, and grants would pay for most of it. The airport would have to provide part of the money, and commissioners discussed offering discounted 10-year leases to generate immediate funds. A typical monthly rent for a hangar is $180, and someone paying $15,000 in advance for 10 years would see a significant saving. Letters will be sent to those on a waiting list for hangars.
Those who currently lease space within the awning hangar will also be contacted to see if they would take advantage of the early offer. Until the past few years, most leases were month-to-month, and only a few tenants had a long-term lease. Even a one- or two-year lease is easier to sell than a 10-year commitment, but the airport needs more money from hangar rentals.