The Carroll County Airport Commission heard promising news regarding a grant to build a new hangar and repair another.
At the Oct. 20 meeting, consulting engineer Joey Wallace said he had received two good bids, and both came in lower than expected. Wallace recommended the lower bid of $350,000 and said he had checked to make sure the project would qualify for a 90/10 grant from the State Division of Aeronautics. Commissioners voted to accept the low bid.
Wallace said he would submit an application, which he expected would be reviewed in mid-November. By the time the approval process is complete, winter would interfere with construction, so he suggested targeting a spring start for construction of the hangar 50 feet square. Repairs to an existing hangar could also start in spring.
The airport’s 10-percent share will come to $40,000, about $10,000 less than anticipated. Commission Chair Dave Teigen referred to Wallace’s report as “great news.”
In other business:
- Commissioner Sandy Martin reported on preliminary work on the 2024 budget. She mentioned some items that had been carried over from last year, including a generator. Commissioners have discussed establishing a local weather reporting system, also known as an Automated Weather Observing System, but that would require a grant. Martin said the budget objectives are within reach, and money is available to give Airport Manager Mark Pepple a raise, especially since he has sharply reduced the need for outside labor at the airport.
- In the Manager’s Report, Pepple said fuel sales slowed during the summer, but sales have picked up again. Overall, the airport has sold more fuel than last year, and Pepple attributed that to buying fuel at the best price. He also mentioned repairs to the windsock pole and received approval to upgrade a shed door to protect the equipment stored in that shed.
- Commissioners discussed options surrounding the renewal of a lease for long-time tenant Michael Coghlan.