Pilot Harper Goodwin rents hangar space at the Carroll County Airport, and remarked at the April 21 Airport Commission meeting, “I’m thrilled with how things are going here.” He noted the mutual cooperative connection between CCA and the Trigger Gap grass recreational runway 3.2 miles to the south, and added the monthly fly-ins have been very important for getting pilots talking about CCA.
“If you have an airplane, you’re looking for some place to fly to,” Goodwin said.
Commissioner Morris Pate followed Goodwin’s comments by noting the commission has not done as much as it could have to get word out about CCA. He insisted they need a more organized marketing strategy for reaching outside the local area.
Goodwin pointed out there are pilots from Texas at the monthly fly-ins and commissioners agreed that was a positive indicator, but they tossed around other ways to advertise within a limited budget. Pate suggested they pursue meetings or conferences at the airport, and give participants a bag of goodies provided by Eureka Springs and Berryville Chambers of Commerce. Commissioners mentioned pens, flashlights and baseball caps as low-cost giveaways.
Airport Manager Michael Pfeifer reminded commissioners, “It takes money and we don’t have it.”
Commissioner Dave Teigen said he has raised funds by offering plane rides to folks who then donated to a worthy cause. He said he would be willing to offer rides to promote CCA and encouraged other pilots to do the same.
Pate emphasized marketing and revenue generation needs to be a priority for the commission. He said the amount they receive from the county will continue to dwindle, but the airport will still need to operate and pay bills and look to the future. “What else can we do?” Pate asked. He exhorted commissioners to be creative. He said the airport needs more hangars, which would be a revenue generator, “but we’d have to go in debt over our eyeballs to meet the grant match.”
Commissioners agreed to address marketing during the budget discussion.
Budget discussion
“So what are you suggesting regarding paying down our two debts?” commissioner Sandy Martin asked Pfeifer. He responded the commission could reduce monthly payments on two debts to $250 each from $500 each every month, thereby freeing up $6000 in the budget over the year. Commissioners fidgeted with budgeting protocol for a moment until Martin asked Pfeifer what he needed the money for besides furniture. He mentioned marketing.
Martin said the extra money would allow Pfeifer to get furniture for the lobby. Eventually commissioners agreed to reduce the monthly debt payments to $250 each and add $3000 to the furniture line, making $5500, and the other $3000 to the marketing/advertising line bumping it to $3100.
One more thing
- After an executive session, chair Chase Tressler stated the commission took note of a delinquent tenant and established a payment schedule.
Next meeting will be Friday, May 19, at 12 p.m.