At the July 21 meeting, consulting engineer Dan Clinton told the Carroll County Airport Commission the taxiway resurfacing project will be delayed until after the August 18 meeting because of timing regarding Carroll County Quorum Court protocol.
The project is funded by a 90-10 Federal Aviation Administration grant with Arkansas State Aeronautics funding the remaining ten percent. Total project cost is $236,000.
Ten percent of the grant amount, which would be $23,590, must be placed in escrow for the duration of the project, which according to Clinton, would be 10-15 days. Clinton had supplied a resolution stating the county would cover the escrow amount, and Airport Manager Michael Pfeifer delivered the resolution to Carroll County Judge Sam Barr on June 20. Barr told Pfeifer he could not sign the resolution because a Justice of the Peace must sponsor the resolution and the court must approve it as it involves county funds.
Pfeifer learned the deadline for getting a sponsor to place the resolution on the July agenda had been the previous day. For any item to be added subsequently would have required a unanimous vote of JPs.
Pfeifer said Chair Chase Tresler asked JP John Howerton to sponsor the resolution for the August 18 agenda, and Pfeifer explained the resolution to the court at their July 17 meeting.
Clinton’s only concern regarding the delay was the company who won the bid for the project, Hutchens Construction, would already have been in the area doing a project in Green Forest, and he didn’t know if a month delay would present a conflict with their schedule.
Commissioner Dave Teigen asked if instead of waiting for the Quorum Court if the commission could secure private funding to secure the escrow. After considerable discussion, commissioner Sandy Martin suggested they let the process proceed at the Quorum Court. After all, CCA is improving county property.
Commissioners agreed with Martin to accept the delay and proceed as originally planned.
Manager’s report
Pfeifer stated he attended the recent Quorum Court budget meeting, and JPs seemed positive regarding progress at the airport. He also represented CCA at the Berryville Economic Development Committee reopening of the former Armory and at the July Berryville Chamber of Commerce board meeting.
He said the recent monthly fly-ins have been very successful. On July 15, 23 aircraft flew in and more than 50 people attended plus a squadron of volunteers donated food, did the cooking, directed traffic, and cleaned up. Teigen noted the camaraderie among those attending the fly-ins “has been high and getting higher.”
Other business
- Commissioners authorized the purchase of 4000 gallons of aviation gas.
- Pfeifer suggested CCA increase the fees for using the loaner vehicles from free to $10 for a day trip and $20 for overnight. He said users always fill up the gas tank before they return the vehicles. Commissioners approved his request.
- Clinton announced the limit for 80-20 grants has been reduced from $400,000 to $250,000 which would mean adding eight more hangars on the south part of the property as they had intended would have to be accomplished four at a time.
Next meeting will be Friday, August 18, at 12 p.m.