Long-term water damage sidetracked plans to paint hangars at the Carroll County Airport. At its December meeting, commissioners discussed painting hangars, and they received estimates when they met again on Jan. 18. Before even considering those estimates, the commissioners had to consider some problems with the underlying structure.
“I would hold off on painting anything until you hear about the condition of the buildings,” commissioner Morris Pate said. He shared sections of wood cut from an open awning area for plane parking. The wood showed severe rot, and that awning would require extensive repair.
As an alternative, commissioners suggested razing that structure and using that location for an eight-bay hangar. They had previously heard that the airport might qualify for a grant to build new hangars, and the current location of the awning would solve the problem of where to build new hangars.
Pate suggested converting a mop closet in the terminal to a shower. “Anybody who’s been out here mowing on a hot day has noticed there’s nowhere to clean up,” he said. A shower would also serve stop-and-go pilots, he said, as well as providing a place to rinse someone exposed in a fuel spill. The closet already has hot and cold water and a floor drain, and commissioners agreed to seek bids on the project.
While discussing plumbing issues, Pate also said the airport could soon get water from the Carroll-Boone Water District, eliminating problems with well water. The new water service would include a fire hydrant.
Pate proposed filling a marshy area with rocks and adding a ditch for drainage. “If a plane gets off in there, it’ll sink to the wings,” he said. The others at the table said federal regulations only allow rocks smaller than two inches, as any bigger objects constitute an obstruction. Underground drainpipes might mitigate the problem.
In other business:
- Airport Manager Michael Pfeifer said he would have a plan for mowing and spraying at the next meeting.
- Commissioner Sandy Martin said the fuel account “is in good shape,” and commissioners briefly discussed the possibility of saving money with a larger purchase.
- Martin thanked Justice of the Peace John Howerton for attending the meeting, and again expressed her thanks to JPs who attended the December meeting. The commission had sharp disagreements with the quorum court’s budget committee in the closing months of 2018, but Martin said having so many JPs attend felt like “a new beginning.”